The truth is that schools are safe havens of calm and security and the vast majority of schools do not have serious or endemic behaviour issues. Indeed, Ofsted reports that ‘figures indicate that the very large majority of schools manage behaviour well and engage pupils effectively’.
Teachers cannot teach and pupils cannot learn if there is not a well-ordered environment within the school. Even minor behaviour and discipline problems can have a significant impact on school life. Indeed, a major national survey of teachers and headteachers conducted by the NASUWT in 2010 found that the problem of ‘low level disruption of lessons’ was a concern for teachers in their attempts to deliver high quality teaching and learning experiences to their pupils. The survey identified that on average, 30 minutes of teaching time was lost each day as a result of pupil indiscipline or poor behaviour.
A common feature of schools that experience poor behaviour is the failure of school leadership to consistently support the professional expertise and judgement of classroom practitioners and of school governing bodies to endorse the professional decisions of headteachers. Many teachers report that they lack confidence that they will receive swift support when referring a disruptive pupil to school management (61 per cent). Few teachers receive timely feedback about what has been done to support (or sanction) a disruptive pupil when the pupil is returned to their class following an incident. The NASUWT research found that one in five teachers said there were no mechanisms in place for the withdrawal of poorly behaved pupils from classrooms – meaning that classroom teachers simply have to contain the problem as best they can.
It is absolutely clear that schools need to be better geared towards supporting teachers in the classroom in managing pupil behaviour and must therefore be in touch with and supportive of classroom practice. But, few school leaders now demonstrate that they are in touch with the realities of classroom practice.
Solving problems of poor behaviour and indiscipline cannot simply be left to schools alone. It is generally understood that the behavioural problems which manifest themselves in schools often have their origins outside the school gates. So, a joined-up approach, which involves schools working with wider children’s services organisations and with other schools must be part of the solution.
However, the structures for collaboration are now being removed as a result of the coalition government’s decision to abolish school Behaviour Partnerships, the driving forward of the ideological policy of academies and free schools, and by the dilution of the role of local authorities in the coordination of education provision. These developments fly in the face of all the evidence which shows that where schools go it alone they are likely to have greater problems with indiscipline and poor behaviour and are less likely to be able to resolve problems when they arise.
Schools that collaborate effectively are also able to avoid the stigma of permanent exclusions for some students by using managed moves. These are only effective when schools operate in an arena of trust and are appropriately supported by the local authority. This mutuality and trust is now being seriously undermined, putting at risk quality education.
It is absolutely clear that as with so many other areas of education, for behaviour and discipline in schools, collaboration not competition is where the answer lies.