Research School Network: CASE STUDY: improving behaviour at a secondary school An example of how one secondary school is training staff to support greater consistency in pupil behaviour

For the past couple of years the challenges of the pandemic have created conditions that seemed to lead to a decline in behaviour. Perhaps, not totally surprising with staff and student absence leading to staffing shortages and concerns about gaps in student knowledge. Restrictions in the classroom and bubbles across school meaning consistent routines inside and outside the classroom seemed tricky to maintain. This is something we were keen to address for the new academic year.

This led us to think about the key standards and behaviours we wanted to see. We spent time thinking about this and why we thought each of these was important in terms of aligning with our school values. We then consulted the EEF Improving Behaviour Guidance Report and were particularly keen to address the main area for improvement when addressing behaviour, which is most often consistency. We also consulted the EEF Schools Guide to Implementation Guidance Report. The ​‘Prepare’ phase of the guidance tells us that creating a shared understanding of the implementation process through the introduction of new skills, knowledge, and strategies with explicit up-front training being a useful tool. This was true for ourselves – having the opportunity to meet as a whole staff body surrounding the changes that were planned enabled us to feedback ideas and developments to the School Leadership Team.

One outcome has been a guideline script for all staff outlining the following:

• Our response to students as to why we have this standard/​conduct
• What is our shared correction language?
• What are the possible uncertainties to look out for?
• What is the consequence if the correction is not completed?

Let’s consider the above in relation to one of our standards – ​‘Students must have their top button and tie fastened correctly’. Over the past few weeks, I have had a few students arrive at my classroom with their ties not fastened correctly. It has been really useful to use the shared, whole school explanation of ​‘we want all students to look smart, and dress code is an important part of workplaces.’ It felt a little forced to begin with, but what made it easier was hearing and seeing colleagues across the school using the same explanations. And when I really reflect on the impact this has had in my classroom it has avoided the initial discussions that we used to have with students regarding uniform, right at the start of lessons, creating an initial confrontation before any learning had even taken place!

What I found really useful was the link that this model of ​‘Standard and Explanation’ had with the EEF’s Improving Behaviour in Schools Guidance Report. The Guidance Report states how important it is to be proactive, and having some possible explanations ready prepared to give to students has enabled us to meet any potential challenges before they have materialised.

Another key focus has been on ​‘Do Now Tasks’ at the start of each lesson – that is, each and every lesson across the school. Again this has helped to foster a consistent approach to developing our school culture whilst also building on the work we have done on retrieval and retention. This has always been something that has been done in my lessons, but it has caused some problems previously ​‘Sir, why do we always need to do work as soon as we come into your lesson?’ Our new whole school approach on ​‘Do Now Tasks’ has ensured a consistent approach to all lesson starts. I’ve noticed the difference: a calm environment, less chatter and the opportunity for young people to review prior learning.

In Recommendation 4 of the the Improving Behaviour in Schools Guidance Report we learn that ​‘strategies that don’t require complex pedagogical changes have been shown to be promising’ – I really see the link with ​‘Do Now Tasks’ here. They are not reinventing wheels! They involve a few low-stakes recall questions designed to support our young people’s memory, but also help them have a secure start to a lesson.

There is still work to do.

A large science department, with many different schemes of learning has a fair bit of work to do with preparing ​‘Do Now Tasks’. We are using some of our designated department training time to work through this, so by the Christmas break, all ​‘Do Now Tasks’ should be cemented in Schemes of Learning.

What we are really working on is creating this consistency across the school so that it becomes the norm for students to be appropriately dressed; so it becomes the norm for students settle to work as quickly as possible. What our new approach helps us to achieve is this whole school drive to improve culture and conduct where each and every member of staff is working together, as a collective.

Alister Talbot, Science Teacher and Research Lead, Huntington School