ABSTRACT
The concept of restorative justice has been adapted for use in schools and renamed as Restorative Practice. The use of restorative justice approaches in schools has developed as a way of managing and developing learner behaviour. The restorative justice approach aims to resolve the conflict situation that often remains when the actions of one party have contravened rules and caused harm to another party. The restorative justice approach begins from the recognition of difference and diversity. Where significant incidents of wrongdoing, disagreement or conflict have occurred a restorative conference is arranged. The development of a restorative practice approach in schools often begins with a conscious agreement to modify the language used by practitioners, moving the meanings away from judgement and blame, towards a restorative vocabulary of exploration and understanding. Research into the use of the restorative justice approach in Bristol schools identified significant reductions in exclusion rates.
