Schools sought for government behaviour programme

Schools with good behaviour practices are being invited to lead the Government’s £10 million programme to improve discipline, as part of work to raise school standards across the country.

Supported by behaviour experts, these schools will work in partnership with those that need help to turn around their behaviour culture.

They will help schools which are facing challenges to look at ways of improving behaviour including setting high standards for all pupils, de-escalating conflict and considering things like mobile phone bans, while recognising that different schools require different approaches.

Schools can apply to be one of the lead schools who will work closely with these expert advisers to achieve real change in schools’ approaches to managing behaviour.

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said: "Pupils learn best in an environment where there are no excuses for bad behaviour and high expectations are set for all pupils. Poor discipline disrupts lessons, holds children back and has a profound effect on teachers.

"All over the country we see examples of schools with great behaviour cultures achieving incredible things for their pupils – as we level up standards in our schools, I want that to be the norm.

"That’s why we are determined to give all schools the tools they need to improve behaviour by making sure that they can learn from the best."

Tom Bennett, the Department for Education’s behaviour adviser, will be assisted in running the scheme by a team of current and former headteachers and school leaders with experience in implementing successful behaviour management practices in primary, secondary, special and alternative provision settings.

The programme aims to recruit up to 20 lead schools in this application round, with plans to support at least 500 schools over the three-year programme. The first wave of lead schools will be matched up with partner schools and begin work in September this year.