Master behavioural management in schools through proven strategies, whole-school approaches, and leadership frameworks that drive lasting cultural change.
Written by Laura Bouttell • Tue 14th October 2025
Behavioural management in schools represents the systematic implementation of policies, practices, and cultural frameworks designed to cultivate positive conduct, support student wellbeing, and create optimal learning environments. Whilst punishment-focused approaches address symptoms, effective behavioural management tackles root causes through relationship-building, clear expectations, and consistent whole-school implementation.
The landscape has shifted dramatically. Former Ofsted Chief Inspector Amanda Spielman acknowledged that behaviour has widely deteriorated since the pandemic, with schools facing complex, multifaceted challenges that require system-level interventions rather than quick fixes. For educational leaders, the question isn't whether to prioritise behaviour management—it's how to implement approaches that simultaneously improve outcomes whilst supporting staff wellbeing.
Consider this: research from Tom Bennett's 2017 Department of Education study found that student behaviour correlates strongly with eventual outcomes. When behaviour improves across a school, students achieve more academically and socially, staff satisfaction increases, retention improves, and recruitment becomes less problematic. The multiplier effect extends far beyond classroom control—it transforms the entire educational ecosystem.
Behavioural management refers to the strategies and techniques educators employ to promote positive behaviour and discipline within the classroom. It encompasses not only correcting undesirable behaviour but also cultivating supportive, engaging learning environments where all pupils thrive.
The approach involves three interconnected dimensions:
Proactive strategies prevent disruption through clear expectations, engaging instruction, and positive relationships. Responsive interventions address challenging behaviours when they occur through consistent, fair consequences and support systems. Systemic frameworks ensure whole-school coherence, staff training, and continuous improvement mechanisms.
Effective ongoing management of the classroom is essential for quality learning—it requires planning, preparation, and implementing strategies to manage student behaviour strategically.
The business case for investment in behavioural management systems extends well beyond intangible benefits. When Kennedy Middle School implemented School-Wide Positive Behaviour Support, they documented 850 fewer office discipline referrals and 25 fewer student suspensions annually. This translated into 30 saved administrator days and 121 recovered student school days—significant resource optimization.
Moreover, the leadership implications prove profound:
Everyone stands to benefit from good behaviour in schools—effective management means low-level disruption isn't tolerated, pupils can learn, teachers can teach, staff can do their jobs, and parents have confidence their children are safe and supported.
The outgoing Ofsted Chief Inspector acknowledged that behaviour has widely deteriorated since the pandemic, creating particularly challenging issues for many schools. This complex, multifaceted problem doesn't come with quick fixes.
Data from the NASUWT 2025 Behaviour in Schools report reveals concerning statistics: 52% of teachers are seriously considering leaving the profession due to behaviour challenges, 39% report being verbally threatened, and 47% of primary teachers cite social media as causing poor behaviour.
In a pre-pandemic study, only a quarter of secondary and half of primary teachers agreed that behaviour policy was applied consistently by all staff. Furthermore, leaders tended to believe there was greater consistency than teachers did—a perception gap that undermines implementation.
This consistency challenge proves inevitable given schools' dynamic human environment. Teachers and leaders make constant decisions about applying strategies in specific circumstances, whilst individual students require reasonable adjustments.
A 2019 report shows widespread concern over the lack of professional development for educators in classroom management, despite behaviour remaining a top concern for teachers. Many teachers had minimal pre-service training in behaviour management, whilst in-service professional development was considered by some to be of little benefit or not commonly available.
Schools need improved multi-agency collaboration, integrating social services, mental health support, and community programmes. The complex and varied roots of challenging behaviour require action both by the school itself and by other agencies.
| Challenge Type | Prevalence | Primary Impact | Leadership Response Required |
|---|---|---|---|
| Post-pandemic deterioration | Widespread across sectors | Increased disruption, staff stress | System-level intervention |
| Inconsistent application | 50-75% of schools | Policy-practice gap | Training, monitoring, coaching |
| Limited CPD access | Majority of teachers | Inadequate skills | Sustained professional development |
| External support gaps | Growing concern | Unmet student needs | Partnership development |
The Education Endowment Foundation's Improving Behaviour in Schools report advises that behaviour programmes are more likely to impact attainment levels if implemented at a whole-school level. Whilst taking longer to embed, consistency across the entire school proves key to positive behaviour management.
The whole-school approach encompasses three critical elements:
School-wide systems that include clear behaviour policies, consistent routines, and shared expectations across all settings. Data-driven decisions using systematic behaviour tracking, regular review cycles, and evidence-informed adjustments. Collective responsibility where all staff—from senior leaders to support personnel—share accountability for behaviour standards.
Universal behaviour systems won't meet every pupil's needs. For those with more challenging behaviour, interventions should be adapted to the individual, with staff trained in specific strategies to provide the right support.
Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports is an evidence-based, tiered framework for supporting students' behavioral, academic, social, emotional, and mental health. When implemented with fidelity, PBIS improves social emotional competence, academic success, and school climate whilst improving teacher health and wellbeing.
The framework operates across three tiers:
Tier 1 (Universal - 80-85% of students): School-wide expectations taught explicitly, recognition systems for appropriate behaviour, and consistent responses to misbehaviour. Schools establish 3-5 positively-stated expectations and define them for each routine or setting, whilst explicitly teaching these expectations to set all students up for success.
Tier 2 (Targeted - 10-15% of students): Additional support for students not successful with Tier 1 alone, including check-in/check-out systems, small group social skills instruction, and behaviour contracts. Students receiving Tier 2 support require additional teaching and practice opportunities to increase their likelihood of success, typically delivered within groups for efficiency.
Tier 3 (Intensive - 1-5% of students): Individualized, comprehensive support involving functional behaviour assessments, wraparound services, and coordinated team approaches. Schools use more formalized assessments to match interventions to the behaviour's function, creating individualized plans incorporating the student's academic strengths and deficits, physical and medical status, mental health needs, and family/community support.
A four-year randomized controlled trial of over 12,000 elementary students found that School-Wide PBIS significantly reduced behaviour problems and improved prosocial behaviour and effective emotion regulation, with positive effects on office discipline referrals and suspensions.
Trauma-informed education recognizes all behaviour as a form of communication and an opportunity to develop self-regulation. Rather than asking 'What have you done?', trauma-informed approaches ask 'What has happened to you?'—fundamentally reframing how schools respond to challenging behaviour.
The approach addresses a critical reality: students traumatized by exposure to violence are at increased risk for displaying emotional dysregulation, disruptive behaviours, declines in attendance and grade point averages, and more negative remarks in their cumulative records. They may have increased difficulties concentrating and learning and may engage in unusually reckless or aggressive behaviour.
Core principles of trauma-informed schools include:
Studies show that adoption of trauma-informed policies and procedures, especially regarding disciplinary practices, are key organisational changes helping reduce incidences and optimize learning time. Discipline changes focus on increasing empathy, maintaining relational connection, and developing self-regulation skills—supporting 'time-in' rather than 'time-out' of class.
The evidence base demonstrates measurable impact: Trauma-informed education shows benefits including improved attendance, academic achievement, emotional regulation, confidence, and relationship building.
Restorative justice in schools represents a transformative approach to discipline that focuses on repairing harm and rebuilding relationships rather than punishing students for misbehaviour. Based on principles of empathy, respect, and accountability, it encourages students to understand the impact of their actions, take responsibility, and actively participate in the healing process.
University of Chicago researchers evaluating Chicago schools found that those implementing restorative justice practices saw a staggering 35% reduction in student arrests and a 15% reduction in out-of-school student arrests, alongside an 18% decrease in out-of-school suspensions and improved students' perceptions of school climate.
The three-tiered restorative framework:
Tier I - Community Building (Preventive): Teachers or peer facilitators lead students in circles of sharing, where children open up about their fears and goals. Students play an integral part in creating the climate through classroom-respect agreements where everyone is held accountable.
Tier II - Conflict Resolution (Responsive): When rules are broken and harm occurs, mediation replaces punishment. Facilitated conversations use key questions: What happened? What were you thinking? Who was affected? What needs to happen to make this right?
Tier III - Reintegration (Intensive): Supporting students returning from suspension, expulsion, or truancy through structured re-entry processes that acknowledge challenges whilst promoting accountability.
Restorative practices promote positive relationships between peers and between students and teachers, whilst developing social and emotional skills. The most used practices in schools are circles, followed by restorative conferences, peer mediation, and restorative conversations.
The warm/strict strategy became popular after Doug Lemov's 2015 book 'Teach Like a Champion', though research by Wubbels suggests that teachers who combine maintaining high expectations for learning with 'friendly' characteristics achieve some of the greatest learning outcomes for pupils.
The approach balances warmth (genuine care, positive relationships, understanding individual needs) with strictness (clear boundaries, consistent consequences, high expectations). The message communicates: "There are strict rules because we care about things being fair and want you to do well."
Key warm/strict strategies include:
Advocates claim that as policies are systemised, they're easier for new staff to pick up and apply successfully. They posit that managing behaviour isn't down to the individual teacher—it's a whole-school endeavour all staff can be trained to manage if given the right tools.
The Education Endowment Foundation condenses the evidence base into six core recommendations that provide 'best bets' for approaching behaviour effectively:
Good behaviour in schools is central to good education. Creating a culture with high expectations of behaviour benefits both staff and pupils, establishing calm, safe, and supportive environments conducive to learning.
An effective behaviour policy should:
Set clear expectations defining acceptable and unacceptable behaviours explicitly. Promote consistency ensuring all staff members apply rules uniformly across contexts. Align with school values reflecting the ethos and mission authentically. Include graduated responses from recognition systems through to serious incident protocols. Address SEND appropriately considering individual needs whilst maintaining high expectations.
Schools should be clear in every aspect of their culture that certain behaviours are never acceptable and will not be tolerated, whilst making clear to all staff the importance of challenging inappropriate language and behaviour.
The National Professional Qualification in Leading Behaviour and Culture (NPQLBC) is designed for teachers who have, or aspire to have, responsibilities for leading behaviour or supporting pupil wellbeing. The qualification helps develop knowledge and skills in leading behaviour and culture, applicable across the school to engage and motivate staff and pupils whilst reducing classroom disruption.
Professional development should encompass:
Strong recommendations in research include provision of initial staff training as an intensive two-day approach to achieve a culture shift, with structure and focus developed in partnership with school leadership, plus regular space for teachers to debrief and discuss struggles on an ongoing basis.
Managing behaviour on a daily basis requires clear processes that are easy to implement and apply consistently. Even relatively simple changes are likely to benefit from careful implementation, wide consultation, and iterative feedback.
Strategies for building consistency include:
Visual management systems displaying expectations, processes, and recognition publicly throughout the school. Regular calibration meetings where staff discuss scenarios and align responses. Observation and feedback through learning walks focusing on behaviour management. Clear documentation making procedures accessible and user-friendly. Senior leader visibility modelling expected approaches and supporting frontline staff.
Digital platforms can be valuable tools in supporting consistency—they enable schools to consistently reward positive behaviours they see and seek to address negative behaviours promptly.
The key paradox: A degree of inconsistency seems inevitable due to the nature of the work. The dynamic human environment of schools means teachers and leaders must make constant decisions about how to apply behaviour strategy in specific circumstances. Supporting staff to navigate these situations with adaptive flexibility that remains true to the school's core principles proves essential.
A National Behaviour Challenge should collect aggregate data on behaviour and classroom disruption on a regular basis, via surveys and integration with school-management tools, to build an accurate present-time picture of behaviour and wellbeing in schools.
Effective data usage includes:
Systematic recording where everyone uses the same defined system or process to record behaviour consistently. Regular analysis identifying patterns, trends, hotspots, and individuals needing additional support. Benchmarking comparing with similar schools to identify relative performance and improvement opportunities. Outcome tracking measuring impact of interventions on behaviour metrics and academic progress. Staff feedback gathering qualitative data on policy effectiveness and implementation challenges.
Schools should use data on pupil behaviour to inform their approach to managing behaviour, with systematic recording meaning everyone uses the same defined system consistently.
Strong school leadership is crucial to consistently, fairly, and confidently apply behaviour policies, support teachers in doing so, and provide them with relevant training. Together, these strategies tackle the root causes of behavioural issues and create lasting, positive change.
Leadership commitment manifests through:
Creating meaningful connections with students is one of the most effective behaviour management strategies. Taking time to understand each student's unique interests and challenges allows tailoring teaching approaches to their personality.
Knowing students helps identify triggers for behavioural problems. If a student suddenly starts lashing out, knowing their background may reveal underlying issues such as academic struggles or personal difficulties. Instead of punishing the bad behaviour, you can talk to the student or point them toward help.
Relationship-building extends beyond student interactions to encompass families, colleagues, and the wider community—creating networks of support that reinforce behavioural expectations.
Whole-school relational-based approaches require action in three core components: curriculum, teaching, and learning; school ethos and environment; and family and community. Adopting whole-school change requires careful implementation and wide consultation.
Creating spaces where staff can:
Parents have an important role in supporting the school's behaviour policy and should be encouraged to reinforce the policy at home as appropriate. Where a parent has a concern about management of behaviour, they should raise this directly with the school whilst continuing to work together.
Effective family engagement strategies include:
Track these key indicators over time:
| Metric Category | Specific Measures | Target Direction | Review Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Disciplinary actions | Office referrals, detentions, suspensions, exclusions | Decreasing | Monthly |
| Attendance | Overall attendance, persistent absence, punctuality | Increasing | Fortnightly |
| Academic outcomes | Attainment, progress, curriculum coverage | Increasing | Termly |
| Staff wellbeing | Turnover, absence, satisfaction surveys | Improving | Termly |
| School climate | Student/parent perception surveys, inspection outcomes | Improving | Annually |
Beyond numbers, observe:
Classroom climate - Are lessons calm and purposeful? Do students appear engaged and on-task? Can teachers teach without constant interruption?
Staff confidence - Do teachers feel supported in managing behaviour? Are they using consistent approaches? Do they report reduced stress?
Student voice - What do pupils say about school culture? Do they feel safe, respected, and heard? Are relationships positive?
Stakeholder perceptions - How do parents, governors, and the wider community view the school's behaviour management?
In longer studies over 12 months, a strong relationship was found between implementation length and reduction in the number and severity of behavioural incidences.
Remember: cultural change rarely occurs linearly. Expect initial enthusiasm, implementation challenges, potential deterioration before improvement, gradual progress, and eventual stabilization. It's important to understand that children's behaviour may only improve slightly or sometimes not at all initially—mistakes are merely the portals to learning.
The measure of success isn't perfection but rather sustained improvement in the direction of your vision, with increasing consistency in implementation and growing staff confidence and competence.
Current behaviour policies which focus around reward and deterrent have only limited long-term effectiveness. They assume that students can exercise self-control and follow rules when motivated to do so, yet students with special educational needs and disabilities typically have many intrinsic challenges to self-regulation.
The pitfall: treating behaviour management purely as a transactional exchange rather than developing intrinsic motivation and self-regulation.
For restorative justice practices to work, the entire school community must adopt the philosophy behind restorative justice and believe in its promise. Implementation really matters—ongoing professional development and support is critical. Any initiative relying on quick, one-off training will likely not be successful.
The pitfall: expecting cultural change without investing in the sustained professional development required to shift mindsets and build skills.
The EEF Improving Behaviour in Schools report advises that universal behaviour systems won't meet the needs of every pupil. For those with more challenging behaviour, interventions should be adapted to the individual.
The pitfall: prioritizing administrative convenience over responding to individual student needs, particularly those with SEND or who have experienced trauma.
Difficulties in forming meaningful connections with peers or experiencing social isolation can exacerbate disruptive behaviour. Fostering a supportive and inclusive school environment that prioritises social and emotional learning can help mitigate disruptive behaviours by equipping pupils with necessary skills.
The pitfall: addressing symptoms through punishment rather than understanding and addressing underlying causes through support and skill development.
The SWPBS model is a complex and demanding model, and it may take several years to implement the different interventions. Implementation may also be hampered by staff and resource limitations, but also by disagreements among staff and with school leaders.
The pitfall: expecting rapid transformation and losing commitment when progress proves slower than anticipated, rather than maintaining strategic patience through inevitable challenges.
The link between behavioural issues and mental health concerns is well documented. Over 30% of respondents stated that schools are responsive to mental health needs when dealing with behavioural issues, indicating significant room for improvement.
Future approaches will increasingly integrate mental health professionals within schools, embed social and emotional learning throughout the curriculum, and develop staff capability to recognize and respond to mental health needs.
Digital platforms enable real-time data capture, pattern analysis, automated alerts for intervention, seamless communication with families, and evidence gathering for accountability. However, technology must augment rather than replace the human relationships at the heart of effective behaviour management.
Investment in generating evidence on what works in behaviour management in schools should make it widely available (in collaboration with the Education Endowment Foundation) and ensure it feeds directly into both initial teacher-training frameworks and continuous professional development provision.
The future lies in translating research into accessible, practical guidance whilst building schools' capacity to evaluate their own approaches and contribute to the evidence base.
Building strong relationships at regional and local levels, using data to inform a peer-led improvement and support system where schools that struggle with behaviour are benchmarked and paired with others successfully tackling similar challenges—for example, via Regional Improvement for Standards and Excellence (RISE) teams.
No school is an island. The future involves greater collaboration between schools, sharing effective practices, supporting each other through challenges, and collective advocacy for systemic improvements in external support services.
The evidence is unequivocal: effective behavioural management transforms educational outcomes, staff wellbeing, and school culture. Yet implementing evidence-based approaches requires strategic leadership, sustained commitment, and the courage to challenge established practices.
Begin where you are. Conduct an honest audit of current behaviour management approaches, gathering data on effectiveness and stakeholder perspectives. Identify your starting point—whether building from scratch, refining existing systems, or transforming entrenched practices.
Build your coalition. Engage senior and middle leaders in developing shared understanding and commitment. Involve staff, students, and families in co-creating your vision. Secure governor support for the time and resources required.
Choose your approach strategically. Select frameworks aligned with your school's context, values, and challenges. Don't attempt everything simultaneously—sequence implementation thoughtfully, building capability progressively.
Invest in professional development. Provide intensive initial training followed by ongoing coaching and support. Create opportunities for reflection, problem-solving, and celebrating success.
Monitor, evaluate, and adapt. Use data systematically to understand impact and refine approaches. Maintain strategic patience through inevitable challenges whilst showing adaptive flexibility when evidence suggests course correction.
The path won't always prove smooth. You'll face resistance, setbacks, and moments of doubt. Yet the prize—schools where every child can thrive in safety and mutual respect, where teachers can teach with confidence and joy, where communities feel pride in their educational institutions—justifies the journey.
As the Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu observed: "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." Your step starts now.
Research shows that behaviour programmes are more likely to impact attainment levels when implemented at a whole-school level. Whilst taking longer to embed, consistency across the entire school proves key to positive behaviour management. The most effective approaches combine clear expectations, positive relationships, consistent consequences, staff training, and data-informed decision-making within a coherent whole-school framework such as PBIS or trauma-informed practices.
Schools are able to adopt School-Wide PBS and establish local coaching and training infrastructure within a two-year initiative process. However, achieving cultural transformation typically requires three to five years of sustained implementation. Early improvements may be visible within months, but embedding practices deeply into school culture demands strategic patience and persistent leadership.
Parents have an important role in supporting the school's behaviour policy and should be encouraged to reinforce the policy at home as appropriate. Effective partnership involves clear communication of expectations, regular positive contact beyond just problem notifications, opportunities for input in policy development, and viewing families as collaborators in supporting student success. Schools should provide guidance helping families reinforce expectations whilst remaining open to parental concerns.
The dynamic human environment of schools means teachers and leaders must make constant decisions about how to apply behaviour strategy in specific circumstances. The needs of specific pupils might require reasonable adjustments to a strategy. Effective practice maintains consistency in core principles and expectations whilst showing adaptive flexibility in implementation methods. Universal behaviour systems won't meet every pupil's needs—for those with more challenging behaviour, interventions should be adapted to the individual with staff trained in specific strategies.
A comprehensive behaviour policy should include: statement of vision and values; clear expectations for conduct; graduated recognition and response systems; staff roles and responsibilities; procedures for serious incidents; considerations for SEND; partnership with families; training and professional development commitments; monitoring and evaluation processes; and regular review cycles. The policy should make clear that certain behaviours are never acceptable and will not be tolerated, whilst supporting staff in challenging inappropriate language and behaviour.
Effective behaviour management can significantly reduce stress levels for teachers. When a classroom is well-managed, educators can focus more on delivering quality instruction and building meaningful connections with their students. Support strategies include providing comprehensive training and ongoing coaching, ensuring consistent backup from senior leaders, creating regular opportunities for staff to debrief and share challenges, implementing digital systems that reduce administrative burden, celebrating successes publicly, and fostering professional learning communities where staff support each other.
A four-year randomized controlled trial of over 12,000 elementary students found that School-Wide PBIS significantly reduced behaviour problems and improved prosocial behaviour and effective emotion regulation, with positive effects on office discipline referrals and suspensions. Chicago schools implementing restorative justice practices saw a 35% reduction in student arrests and an 18% decrease in out-of-school suspensions alongside improved student perceptions of school climate. Multiple studies demonstrate that evidence-based approaches improve behaviour, academic outcomes, school climate, and staff wellbeing when implemented with fidelity.