Research School Network: Behaviour case study How a new behaviour system was implemented at Huntington

The behaviour of young people in schools is a complex and emotive issue. The much-banded (and emotionally charged) statement of ​“I’ve never seen behaviour so bad” can feel like a grenade to some schools who then feel decisive action should be taken.

However, the behaviour of students within a school is a bi-product of the culture that permeates across the community. Culture does not grow overnight like a mushroom, but more like an oak tree, taking years to root.

For any school that wishes to ensure that excellent behaviour prevails, the recent EEF guidance report is a useful starting point. We have also shaped a lot of our work around Tom Bennett’s ​‘Creating a Culture’ report, especially focusing on the three Rs;

Routines – clear systems in place that support teachers in the classroom.
Responses – strategies that teachers can use as a response to challenging behaviour.
Relationships – strategies that focus on understanding some of the more complex needs of individual students.

At Huntington, we have spent the last eight months implementing a plan to improve behaviour. It’s been a two-pronged focus. Firstly, we have strived to produce a behaviour system that is understood by all and applied consistently. Students need clear boundaries; they also need to know that these will be the same in any subject for any teacher. This is a huge task. It’s probably the greatest challenge, but every time you get nearer to a more consistent approach, behaviour will become better and better. Of course, there will be times when you need to adopt a tailored approach to support individual students – students with additional and complex needs for example. This is also referenced in the guidance report. This doesn’t need to compromise consistency: it just means that you need to consider where some students will need additional support.

Secondly, we have developed a CPD programme that focuses on colleagues becoming more successful in managing behaviour and giving them the key tools to de-escalate situations and allow them to create the right environment for all students to thrive. As a school, we observed that most support call-outs occurred in the first 15 minutes of the lesson. We felt that we needed to remind colleagues of some simple strategies and routines that get the lesson off to a good start. These were:

- Be at the door of your classroom (wherever possible) to meet and greet students. Try to speak or make eye contact with everyone. If this isn’t possible, try and do it with the ​‘key-players’ in the class.
- Have a seating plan that is non-negotiable. Try not to change this too regularly.
- When students enter the classroom, ask that their planners and equipment are out and ready to use.
- Have an activity on the board to do.
- Deal with any latecomers when it least interrupts the lesson.

It’s really easy to dismiss how important the above strategies are, but young people need routines. If every colleague in the school did these on repeat, behaviour would improve even further.

We’ve also looked at more specific strategies around de-escalation, especially with some of our more vulnerable students. These have included:

(1) Go cold
Much of student behaviour is about desiring an emotional behaviour from the teacher, because if you behave emotionally then you’re not going to be entirely in charge.

Sometimes our behaviour as adults indicates a desire to win, and that means a child has to lose. When a child is in ​‘flight or fight’ mode de-escalate the situation by ensuring your response is devoid of emotion.

(2) Redirection
At an early stage of a behaviour incident redirection is generally the best technique, where you just redirect the child away from their emotional landscape, you redirect the child away from the triggers and just put them onto something else.

(3) Use of Language
The best practitioners select their words, tone and timing carefully and are adept at reducing anxieties and de-escalating behaviours because of how they connect with a child through the use of language. For example:

Rephrase ​“Will you stop talking?” to ​“I’d like everyone listening thanks”
Rephrase ​“James, stop turning round and distracting John” to ​“James, I’d like you facing this way and getting on with your work….thanks”

The word ​‘thanks’ is effective here (much better than using ​‘please’). It reaffirms with the child that you fully expect them to follow your instruction!

(4) Give a choice (but both options are what you want!)
​“I would like you to make a choice, either get started with your work or explain to me what the problem is.”

The power of choice is a brilliant strategy to use. Students often need to feel in some sort of control when their behaviour escalates and this gives them that wish.

(5) Give take-up time
This avoids the domineering and screaming teacher – ​“come here Boy!”

Simply, ​“Joe… (pause to gain attention)… come up here a sec please.” Then deliberately look away… talk to someone else. Joe will come. He just will. In his own time. It works, try it. It also works in the corridor. ​“John, come over here for sec please”… then walk away to a private area, away from peers. John will follow and not lose face.

(6) Partial agreement (aka being the grown-up)
Similar to strategy one, it’s not about winning or losing, it’s about creating the right environment for students to thrive.

Sometimes, we need to be the grown-up and avoid seeking out confrontations. In both examples below, the student was 100% doing what they shouldn’t have been but the two teacher responses ensure that the primary behaviour isn’t escalated:

Student: ​“I wasn’t talking, I was doing my work.”
Teacher: ​“OK, Maybe you were but now I want you to press on to finish the task.

Student: ​“It wasn’t me… it’s not mine… I didn’t do anything.”
Teacher: ​“Maybe not – but we’re all clear on the rules about that aren’t we and I’d like you to help me out next time. Thanks.”

(7) Tactically ignore ​‘secondary’ behaviour
Mobile phones are not permitted in our school. Occasionally a student will have their mobile and will be caught using it. Teachers will then confiscate the mobile phone until the student’s parent can pick it up. Confiscating an item is never a joyous occasion; the student will rarely hand it over with a smile! The student will most likely say something like ​‘this rule is pathetic’ but do your very best to tactically ignore this behaviour. Focus on the primary behaviour (mobile phone) because it helps avoid further unnecessary escalation.

Behaviour is an emotive issue and often complex issue. The steps above are what we are using for our context at a secondary school in York, and while many may transfer to other settings equally adjustments may be needed based on your knowledge of your school and your pupils. It is therefore hard to articulate more general behaviour rules, however, Tom Bennett, in a recent tweet, hit the nail on the head for me:

​“The secret of any school with great behaviour *and* challenging demographics remains:
A strong emphasis on promoting positive cultural nroms
Well-taught routines
Consistently applied consequences.
That’s it. That’s the secret.”

Matt Smith, Deputy Headteacher, Huntington