Behaviour Top Trumps
I can’t remember a time when behaviour wasn’t a subject for discussion. Unfortunately, we don’t seem to have reached peak idiocy in behaviour of world leaders yet, but for now I shall consign myself to talking about behaviour in schools.
This week, it was announced that the much-maligned Behaviour Hubs programme will come to an end in March and that the government is looking at alternative ways to support schools.
Whether you believe findings that behaviour standards slipped under the programme, or believe the scheme’s leader, Tom Bennett that hubs “have been a tremendous success”, it’s clear that the problem of worsening behaviour is still very much a live one.
There are many blogs, podcasts, research-led materials and endless social media posts about how to tackle this thorny issue. In fact, Tom Bennett appeared on Doug Lemov’s podcast this week to talk about it.
But for my part one of the most useful is this relatively recent blog on the principles of ensuring good behaviour from the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF).
The simplicity of its six findings is worth repeating:
- Know and understand your pupils and their influences
- Teach learning behaviours alongside managing misbehaviour
- Use classroom management strategies to support good classroom behaviour
- Use simple approaches as part of your regular routine
- Use targeted approaches to meet the needs of individuals in your school
- Consistency and coherence at a whole-school level are paramount.
In my 30-odd years of doing this, I’ve found the last point to be the most vital. Aligned with a clear set of values, it is crucial to ensuring the desired behaviour is achieved.
(Actually, maybe we should get our world leaders to look at this!)
Upping the ante
Meanwhile, the accountability change process rumbles on. Hot on the heels of Ofsted chief Sir Martyn Oliver’s appearance before the new education select committee earlier this month, this week saw the first appearance of Bridget Phillipson, flanked by top DfE civil servant Susan Acland-Hood.
Sir Martyn raised eyebrows during his testimony when he said the new report cards, due to be rolled out this September, will allow the government and the watchdog to hold schools to “higher levels of account than ever before”.
And there was little cause for eyebrows to come back down again this week. Indeed, there was more than a little dismay at Acland-Hood’s comment that schools “should be a high-stakes system… because it’s high-stakes for children”.
The dismay is perhaps best explained by Edmund Barnett-Ward in this thread on X. Barnett-Ward is a parent at Caversham Primary School who has been at the side of the school leadership team and Ruth Perry’s sister throughout their campaign for Ofsted reform.
I find little to add to his insightful commentary, other perhaps than to note that the comment was made by the same Susan Acland-Hood who attended a party hosted by Gavin Williamson at the DfE at the height of Covid – and faced no accountability.
We have only just marked the second anniversary of the death of Ruth Perry, and the much-needed changes brought in since have been obvious in the many inspections I have undergone in that time. Let’s not rush to a system that could undo any of that good work.
Adopt a bot
As an enthusiastic user of AI, (I have actually written this myself, honest!) I found episode one of this two-part podcast of great interest. It features three educational leaders in FE and secondary who have already used AI in many different and useful ways.
It takes us through some actual examples of how AI tools can accomplish a number of tasks that take up so much of our time, and does so with an honest acknowledgment that there will be “various levels of adoption” across any organisation.
There are also examples of experimental/targeted use with student groups that should reassure leaders that it is possible to experiment safely with AI. I particularly like the example of an innovation hub to develop policy and practice in this area.
Definitely worth a listen, regardless of where you are on your own AI journey.
Your thoughts