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A CLIMATE FOR LEARNING
A Review of the Implementation of the ‘Better Behaviour – Better Learning’ Report

CHAPTER 6: KEY FACTORS FOR SUCCESS

HM Inspectors found that the greatest progress was being achieved in addressing the Better Behaviour - Better Learning agenda when the following key factors were present.

Local authority leadership and strategy

• Clear corporate policies for social inclusion, which were based on a shared vision for integrated children's services, had been developed amongst education, social work and other relevant agencies. These were supported by clear strategic direction for development work and close monitoring of its effectiveness.
• Authority-wide educational policies consistently made clear links among effective behaviour management, effective learning and teaching, and well-judged use of curriculum flexibility.
• An appropriate framework for staged assessment and intervention had been established, linking assessment and intervention undertaken at more local levels to authority-wide decision-making processes.
• The authority ensured that there was prompt and appropriate access to a carefully balanced range of specialist provision and support for schools. This included specialist support staff, on-site support bases or units, and appropriate off-site provision, and was designed to keep pupils as fully included in mainstream as possible. Its effectiveness was regularly and systematically evaluated.
• Effective systems were in place for disseminating good practice across schools and other agencies.
• High quality staff development on learning and teaching and behaviour management was made available for teaching and auxiliary staff. This included training from and with colleagues from partner agencies.

Action in schools to promote positive behaviour and reduce low-level disruption

• Strong leadership from staff at all levels in the school was focused on ensuring a consistently high quality of learning and teaching and achievement for all pupils, including the most vulnerable.
• Arrangements were in place for regularly and conspicuously celebrating pupil achievement, including success in social and behavioural terms.
• Procedures for reinforcing good behaviour and for dealing with indiscipline were clearly articulated, implemented consistently and evaluated systematically. Senior managers and others with additional responsibilities took effective action to address any unusually high levels of problems in particular classes or departments.
• Curriculum flexibility was used effectively to avoid pupils becoming disengaged and disaffected whilst still challenging them educationally. Its use was accompanied by a clear focus on monitoring and evaluating the impact on attainment and achievement.
• Schools supported staff in developing their approaches to learning and teaching, drawing on and disseminating their best practice.
• Class teachers were well trained in implementing appropriate techniques for promoting and maintaining positive behaviour and were supported quickly and effectively if major problems arose.
• Teachers had access to relevant information on vulnerable pupils in order to address their needs and to ensure that they transferred smoothly at all stages of their schooling.
• Mainstream staff were provided with effective support and advice, through behaviour coordinators or others. This advice was initially aimed at helping them resolve problems in situ without the need to resort to more exclusive strategies.
• All pupils were given access to a range of opportunities to contribute to decision making. This included decision making about the rules that govern behaviour relationships in the school, and about taking responsibility for others.

Responding to pupils presenting very challenging behaviour

• Effective early intervention arrangements ensured that the care and educational needs of pupils with SEBD were addressed at an early stage in nursery and primary schools.
• Headteachers and other managers of services at local level consistently supported an agreed system of staged assessment and intervention that ensured additional support in classes for individual pupils presenting persistent behavioural problems. Where necessary, further additional support was provided outwith the mainstream class in a unit or base or in off-site provision. This support maintained as high a level of inclusion within the mainstream as was appropriate to the individual circumstances.
• Support bases or units were well resourced, and staffed with sufficient well-trained and committed personnel to allow them to function effectively. They provided high quality input for pupils in terms of the curriculum and for their personal and social needs.
• Effective partnership working was in place at local level amongst a range of professional agencies. This was based on agreed contributions from schools, families, and services providing family support, including home-school link workers.

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