PRESS RELEASE : New survey shows school behaviour improvement but with more to do [June 2012]

The press release issued by the Department for Education on 26 June 2012.

Teachers are feeling more positive about the standard of pupils’ behaviour in schools, according to a new survey published today.

It reveals how the government’s work to back teachers in improving behaviour in schools and classrooms across the country is starting to deliver positive results.

Of the teachers surveyed, more than 3 out of 4 (76%) said the standard of behaviour was ‘good’ or ‘very good’ in their schools – an increase of six percentage points compared with the previous survey in 2008. More than 4 out of 5 teachers (85%) felt well equipped to manage pupil behaviour.

Whilst these findings are encouraging, the survey also reveals that 3 out of 5 (60%) of teachers asked felt that ‘negative pupil behaviour is driving teachers out of the profession’. While this is a welcome decrease of 8 percentage points from the 2008 survey, it shows there is still more to do.

Also, the latest Ofsted inspections published earlier this month show that, under the new tougher and more focused inspections, behaviour and safety was judged outstanding or good in only four out of five schools (79%).

Schools Minister Nick Gibb said:

The majority of pupils are well-behaved and want others to behave well too. This survey shows encouraging effects of the government’s reforms, and that schools need to continue with their relentless focus on behaviour.

The survey also reveals some concerns about negative behaviour which is driving some teachers out of the profession. The government is committed to maintaining our relentless focus on raising standards of behaviour in schools until every school is a safe and happy place in which pupils can excel academically.

The government’s expert adviser on behaviour, Charlie Taylor, said:

Without good behaviour teachers can’t teach and pupils can’t learn.

I am encouraged to see that teachers are feeling more in control of the classroom, but still more needs to be done. We need to ensure trainee teachers are equipped with the right training in behaviour management.