Ofsted Watch - Don’t turn your back on bad behaviour
Last year, while reading an Ofsted report about low-level disruption entitled Below The Radar, I felt my jaw drop as I read that teachers in some schools accepted disruption in the classroom “as a part of everyday life”. This is a dangerous stance to take. We are proud to have been cited by Ofsted as a school where pupils have “immaculate” behaviour. New teachers are pleasantly surprised that they can actually practise their trade here and focus on pedagogy rather than punishment. Our expectations are that behaviour is always exemplary and disruption should be far from commonplace. I fully realise that achieving consistently good behaviour in schools is tough. We did not get to our current level by chance, nor because our student body happened to be naturally well-behaved. Raising the standard of behaviour has taken considerable time and effort - we have worked hard to instil the standards that we expect. In some schools it may feel as if you only have time to manage the big issues. I understand the stresses of the school day and the workload problems that so many teachers experience. But with proper guidance for staff and a strong, structured plan from leadership, disruption can be eradicated. So, if you are due an Ofsted inspection or have received an inspection report that was critical of behaviour, perhaps we can lend a hand by sharing our experience. For starters, here is the guidance we give to every teacher: Of course, guaranteeing good behaviour isn’t just about the classroom. Behaviour needs to be modelled and high standards must be enforced from the top of the school, so you need to ensure that every staff member buys in to the strategy. Every member of teaching and non-teaching staff should constantly remind students about good manners and respect for others. For example, our lunchtime supervisors pride themselves on their ability to reinforce the essence of what it means to belong to the school. Here is the advice we give to fellow school leaders: Don’t be complacent. Our systems would probably run smoothly now without constant supervision, but we take nothing for granted, assume nothing and leave nothing to chance. Our pastoral staff work hard to maintain behaviour standards. It’s tough, and it takes time and considerable effort, but it’s well worth it. Sam Northwood is headmaster of the Nelson Thomlinson School in Cumbria
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