Factors contributing to good behaviour in schools include:

• a whole-school approach

• high expectations

• warm teacher-pupil relationships

• a high-profile head-teacher

• class teachers taking key responsibility

• good communication with the local community

Persistent low-level disruption is reported as the most serious cause of stress to teachers

A 1999-2000 Scottish survey showed that 82% of pupils excluded were boys (see Toolkit on Gender

Looked-after children are 13 times more likely to be excluded than others

Excluded pupils tend to show characteristics such as:

• poor basic skills

• limited aspirations

• poor interpersonal relationships

• susceptibility to negative peer pressure

• parents/carers who are unable to control them

• having been victims of physical/sexual abuse

• experience of racism.

Teachers can get to know pupils’ backgrounds to make personal connections with them

Emotional Intelligence is important (see Toolkit section on Emotional Intelligence).   Highland uses the “Lessons for Living” programme for upper Primary and lower Secondary pupils

Teachers can benefit from seeing a discipline situation from different perspectives

Audits of behaviour patterns can be used to identify key problems

“Framework For Intervention” (developed in Highland as the “Structured Intervention Approach”) involves auditing the learning and teaching environment to try to understand what might be contributing to inappropriate behaviour

Pupils, parents and teachers need to be aware of individuals’ rights and responsibilities

Positive behaviour can be coached, as can strategies to work on challenging behaviour

Teaching should be interesting and varied and offer pupils a degree of choice

Account should be taken of pupils’ preferred learning styles (see Toolkit on Learning Styles)

Pupils should feel involved in the learning and teaching process

Well organised, purposeful cooperative learning activities can improve behaviour (mixed sex groups can be good)

Expectations should be regularly reinforced and should be realistic but challenging

Teaching should encourage an accurate match between aspirations and ability

When pupils feel that they are succeeding they are less likely to be disaffected

Celebration of success of all kinds should be a part of classroom and school life

Lack of challenge in S1/2 can lead to boredom, which can contribute to poor behaviour

Effective use of ICT can contribute towards good behaviour

The teacher’s every word and action should be based on the assumption that all pupils can achieve whatever is to be learned

Teachers should be alert and show that they know what is going on in the classroom

Work should be organised in a smooth but brisk way with clear appropriate deadlines

Inattentive pupils can be questioned to bring them back on track

Physical proximity to unsettled pupils can help (but avoid approaching from behind)

Involving pupils in aspects of classroom management can help

Using humour has been shown to have a beneficial effect on pupil attitudes

Praise and reinforcement of effort/strategies/success are important, but should be dependent on performance and used with discrimination, so that pupils value them

Simple non-verbal encouragement (smile, thumbs-up etc) is effective

Teachers should model good behaviour patterns and be aware of their own stress control techniques

When pupils arrive in the classroom, initial contacts should be positive

Behaviour can be discussed with whole class and those meriting rewards identified

An instruction forbidding something should be phrased positively and constructively

Certain behaviours might be ignored if they will not damage the work of the class

Accusations should be avoided

It is not necessary to punish for inappropriate behaviour immediately

The certainty of consequences is more important than their severity

Pupils learn to choose responsible behaviour, to raise self esteem and improve academic success

Teachers ‘lead’ their classes in a calm, assertive, consistent and supportive manner

A classroom discipline plan is taught and frequently referred to

Rewards/sanctions are clearly explained and used

Pupils enjoy stability in their everyday working environment

There is close home contact, of a positive nature, not just negative

The Assertive Discipline system gives concrete suggestions for managing behaviour

Discipline paper-work should be easily managed

It should also be constructed in a positive way, and not simply be about negatives

Buddy, mentoring and “peer-mediation” have been successful

Rules, rewards and sanctions should be: stated positively; clear and specific; few and comprehensive; understood by all pupils; frequently reinforced in a positive way; devised in consultation with pupils (and parents?)

It is important to have good contacts with the home, children’s centres and carers

Parents/carers can be involved through behaviour contracts and regular arranged communications

All teachers should be aware of the work of the school’s pupil support systems, including the roles of those who have not traditionally been part of school life

Providing more flexibility in the curriculum (especially related to pupils’ goals/aspirations) can improve behaviour

Problems of reduced motivation in S1/2 need to be addressed

Effective bullying policies are important - pupils need to feel safe

Schools may become involved in schemes to teach parenting (see references below)

Teachers should maintain a high profile outside the classroom in monitoring behaviour

When sanctions are applied they should be seen to be appropriate to the misbehaviour, effective and should be accompanied by support for future improvement

Absenteeism is a key area to tackle in promoting positive attitudes

Teachers should be supported in a non-judgemental way