- In July 2014 Sir Michael Wilshaw, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector, in a letter to schools, suggested they were not doing enough to tackle poor pupil behaviour, particularly low-level disruption.[1]
- Research by the University of Cambridge for the NUT, demonstrates the intrinsic relationship of behaviour to class size, inappropriate curriculum, pressure to meet targets and the need to keep up with new initiatives.[2]
- Pupils’ behaviour for learning forms a critical part of the overall judgement of a school made by Ofsted.
- The following are essential to enable schools to ensure behaviour for learning:
- providing teachers with the time and space to talk to other colleagues within the school, to share information and to empower each other to manage pupil behaviour;
- maintaining a manageable class size;
- a proactive and well supported CPD programme for teachers;
- a curriculum which engages children and supports them to behave well. Pupils who are positively engaged in learning are less likely to have behaviour issues. Any curriculum should contain a mix of academic and vocational subjects in order to meet the needs of all pupils; and
- a primary curriculum should be creative, broad and balanced.
- The government has promoted a number of policies that it claims will improve pupil behaviour. These range from ‘Troops to Teachers’ to an emphasis on ‘traditional subjects’. However, the NUT, believes that many of these policies suggest a flawed approach.
- The Troops to Teachers programme will not necessarily improve behaviour in the classroom. There is absolutely no evidence that members of the armed forces will make better teachers than anyone else. It is too simplistic to blame pupil behaviour on a lack of discipline. Furthermore, using this policy to recruit more men as teachers is flawed; research has shown that a teacher’s gender is not a factor in pupil behaviour.[3]
- A disproportionate focus on English (particularly phonics) and maths will do little to engage pupils and instil in them a love of learning.
- The move to increase the reliance on end of course tests for GCSEs will hinder teachers’ efforts to maintain pupils’ engagement. Courses that include a modular approach, with assessment throughout the school year, recognise the different ways that young people learn and help to promote student engagement.
Produced by the National Union of Teachers
[1] Michael Wilshaw letter to schools, Ofsted (July 2014). Available at: Letter%20to%20schools %20from%20HMCI %20-%20July%202014.pdf
[2]John MacBeath and Maurice Galton with Susan Steward, Charlotte Page and Janet Edwards(April 2004) A Life in Secondary Teaching: Finding Time for Learning. A report commissioned by the National Union of Teachers, Cambridge: University of Cambridge. Available at:
[3]Becky Francis et al (2008), A perfect Match? Pupils' and Teachers' views of the Impact of Matching Educators and Learners by Gender, Research Papers in Education, 23: 1, 21 — 36, London: University of Newcastle upon Tyne. Available at: