CHILDREN from Chawton Primary School were rewarded with a special tea party in the gardens of Chawton House Library last week as a reward for their continuing respectful behaviour toward others.

Since Easter, a ‘Respect Challenge’ has been running in the school where children’s respectful behaviour toward others, as well as property, is noticed and praised daily.

The programme, designed by Hampshire County Council’s primary behaviour support service, was launched in all classes throughout the school and children learned to explain what respect means and the importance of being honest.

Over the first half of the summer term pupils were encouraged to confess if they had ever hurt anyone, or had failed to respect another person’s property, or had interrupted someone speaking. And so the challenge was set and each teacher gave out stickers daily to the children who have tried really hard to be respectful.

The children who had won the stickers most frequently over that period were invited to the special tea party to celebrate in the sunshine.

Headteacher Dawn Tilley said: “I am very proud of all the children in the school as they have valued and respected each other, forming new friendships, and nurturing existing ones.”