Are we learning how to behave?

Sir Alan Steer has produced his fifth and final report examining behaviour in English schools. Although acknowledging the good behaviour of the majority there is still much to be done…

'Learning Behaviour:Lessons learned' by Sir Alan Steer is the fifth and final report in the series that began with the Practitioners' Group in Schools Behaviour and Discipline report in October 2005. In December 2007 in the Children’s Plan, the Secretary of State requested a review of the progress made in raising standards of school behaviour and discipline since the publication of the Practitioner Group report. The review would also examine any new issues that had arisen since 2005.

Since then there have been four interim reports each with a particular focus. The final one presents us with 47 recommendations. Including:

All schools should have a teaching and learning policy
The range of policy documents that schools are asked to produce should be reviewed
There should be an assessment completed into the potential of nurture groups and other additional provision to support good behaviour
The DCSF should define best practice for all forms of out of classroom provision
There is a need for more consistent use of parenting contracts
Schools' staff should be made more aware of what their legal powers are
Schools should work with wider partners such as the Safer School Partnership Officer
There should be greater emphasis on initial teacher training and CPD
Schools should be trained to make good use of Parent Support Advisers, Family Intervention Projects (FIPs) and Family SEAL
Ofsted should check that schools are making appropriate Day 6 provision for excluded pupils

The report emphasises throughout the importance of teaching and learning, early intervention and supportive work with parents. It suggests that not only should LAs prioritise support for schools with unsatisfactory behaviour but also those that are identified as having satisfactory behaviour.

It is recommended that the behaviour and attendance partnerships, to which most secondary schools already belong, should also involve their primary schools and higher education.

Legal powers and duties

The report states that teachers and headteachers should be made more aware of their legal powers and duties, particularly in relation to the power to exercise discipline beyond the school gates. This power should be clearly stated in the school behaviour policy and in the home-school agreement. Schools should also work with the Safer School Partnership officer of local Community Support Officer to ensure that there is good behaviour on the way to and from school.

The report acknowledges the confusing array of policy documents that schools have to provide. It asks for a review of the range of these with a view to the production of only a limited number. The school behaviour policy will remain. In addition to this the report calls for all schools to produce a teaching and learning policy. This is on the basis that much of the poor behaviour witnessed comes from poor teaching and learning. Effective teaching and learning is the key to good behaviour.

Supporting the development of good behaviour

Intervention at an early stage is emphasised with early years settings and primary schools identifying SEN and behaviour needs and intervening effectively. This intervention needs to be resourced appropriately. The report recommends that the review of the Dedicated Schools Grant should consider how early intervention can best be funded.

The report recognises the importance of good training both during initial teacher training and through CPD. NQTs need to have the confidence and skills to deal with more challenging behaviour and school leaders need to be equipped to support other members of staff.

The report advocates the use of learning mentors to support pupils and also calls for more research into the use of nurture groups:

"Headteachers report that nurture groups can be important in supporting

pupils who display poor behaviour. Building on previous research DCSF should undertake an assessment of the impact of nurture groups in schools situated in areas of high deprivation. This might be via an Ofsted survey of the effectiveness of nurture groups and other additional provision in schools that supports good behaviour, an independent evaluation, or a pilot programme which could be evaluated by Ofsted."

Working with parents is emphasised as a priority. It is recommended that parent support advisers are used to their full capacity. Schools should help with the identification of parents who may need support in their role. LAs will be able to offer programmes for parents who are struggling.

All secondary schools will soon be required to be part of a Behaviour and Attendance Partnership. This involves schools clustering together to provide early intervention, managed moves and support to help avoid fixed-term and permanent exclusions. In some cases it might involve schools commissioning services between them. Sir Alan calls for more primary schools to be involved in these partnerships and for there to be an agreed set of characteristics governing how these partnerships are run.

Raising Standards Higher

It is not only schools where the behaviour is categorised as unsatisfactory that should be challenged. The report recommends that schools with a 'satisfactory' standard for behaviour should also be targeted by the LA for further improvement.

Provision for pupils from Day 6 of an exclusion should be examined carefully by Ofsted to ensure that it meets statutory requirements. Examples of good practice should be made available for schools to see.

Where pupils are disturbing the learning of others in the classroom then withdrawal into some other kind of provision is acceptable. However, it should be for the minimum amount of time and should be modelled on examples of good practice. The report asks the DCSF to define best practice for various types of alternative provision.

The role of parents is once again underlined. There should be a more consistent use of parenting contracts.

The DCSF should not set targets on exclusion to Local Authorities as this would undermine the heads' right to exclude where necessary. The report is particularly concerned about the consistent use of fixed-term exclusions, especially where this involves the same pupil.

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