Support instead of sanctions
Behaviour in the classroom can be a major cause of stress and frustration and have a lasting impact on pupil attainment. Yet the responses to behaviour adopted by secondary schools across the UK are as many and varied as their rates of success.
When the Children and Young People’s Mental Health Coalition asked for views on current approaches to behaviour management, 56% of educators said the techniques used by their schools were ineffective. Plus, there was widespread concern about the use of punitive measures.
Promoting discipline instead of invoking punishment
At Thrive, we advocate replacing ‘time-out’ with ‘time-in’ with an adult as one of the most powerful ways of changing future behaviour.
This relational approach to promoting discipline rather than invoking punishment is one of the many factors that has improved behaviour and engagement at Northfields School and Sports College in Stockton-on-Tees.
Samantha Strange, Personalised Learning Centre Manager, said:
“I see students who aren’t engaging with education for a number of reasons. The most common one is poor behaviour. We were using isolation booths and exclusions but the approach wasn’t working and every student we spoke to about behaviour had a story. We wanted to look at this in detail and move away from sanctions towards something more restorative so they felt more able to access lessons.
Thrive has helped us pull everything together. It also makes our pastoral work measurable which has been really useful for reporting to Ofsted. The biggest difference we’ve observed is that truancy levels have dropped dramatically. Thrive gives you the theory and the scientific evidence as well as the practical tools to approach situations differently to get a different result.”
Over to you
At Thrive, we’ve been supporting educators to tackle behaviour for over 25 years. If you’re seeking calmer classrooms, engaged learners and improved attainment, click here to book a Discovery Call with your regional expert. Designed to fit in around your schedule, these free 30-minute conversations via Teams give you a chance to have your questions answered, decide if our service is a fit for your needs, and identify if you qualify for a £1,200 DfE grant to spend in your setting.
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