Managing and Improving Behaviour in School
Whether you're new to your role or have years of experience under your belt, behaviour is high on the list of priorities for many teachers and school leaders in 2025. With ongoing national conversations around behaviour and classroom culture, it’s no surprise that many are searching for fresh, effective strategies.
While every school context is unique, the principles of great behaviour management are consistent. In this post, we’ll explore five common challenges – and how to tackle them using practical, positive approaches.
Managing behaviour effectively is a cornerstone of creating a positive learning environment. While each school faces unique challenges, the foundations of a successful behaviour management strategy remain consistent. In this blog, we’ll explore practical approaches to support school leaders, teachers and staff in fostering an environment where positive behaviour thrives and disruptions are minimised.
Spoiler alert: There are no quick fixes.
Positive Behaviour Starts With What We Model
Recognising and rewarding positive behaviour is one of the most effective ways to reinforce expectations. It’s not about ignoring misbehaviour, it’s about preventing it through consistency and clarity.
Try:
- Starting each day with a positive greeting – a reset for pupils and adults alike
- Praising effort in the moment, not just outcomes
- Using rewards such as certificates, house points or privileges to spotlight good choices
- Recognising pupils publicly in assemblies, newsletters or displays
- Framing language positively ("Let’s walk" vs. "Don’t run")
It can be easy to use words such as ‘misbehaviour’, which can have negative connotations. However, positive behaviour management is about working to avoid needing to use sanctions by modelling positive interactions to pupils, just like you would if teaching a new skill or concept. This isn’t to say that you can’t use sanctions or shouldn’t follow the school’s behaviour policy, but it can be helpful to look at positive behaviour management like prevention is better than the cure.
CPD idea: Our Positive Behaviour Management CPD course explores how to shift away from sanctions-first approaches and build a consistent, positive culture over time. Perfect for new staff or anyone needing a refresh. In this self-guided, research-based study, you’ll learn how to avoid the overuse of sanctions by developing practical, positive strategies of behaviour management. In doing so, you’ll cultivate stronger teacher-pupil relationships and create a classroom where everyone thrives.
Why Group Sanctions Rarely Work - and What to Try Instead
Group sanctions, or collective punishment for a whole class or group, are a common response to classroom disruptions. However, while they might seem like a quick fix, group sanctions can have unintended consequences. They often cause resentment among pupils who were not involved in the misbehaviour, damage trust between pupils and teachers, and may even discourage positive behaviour by making pupils feel that their individual efforts go unrecognised.
Equip your staff with effective strategies to avoid group sanctions and foster fair, individualised approaches to behaviour management using this comprehensive CPD training bundle. Tailored for behaviour leads, senior leadership teams and anyone aiming to enhance behaviour management skills, this one-hour PowerPoint training session promotes collaboration, discussion and actionable planning, supporting a positive shift towards more equitable and constructive behaviour management methods across the school.
Tackling Classroom Noise Without Raising Your Voice
Many of us will have taught a notoriously loud class, but how do we go about not reaching and exceeding their levels purely to be heard? By implementing practical, consistent strategies, teachers can maintain a balanced classroom atmosphere where pupils are encouraged to participate, while also respecting boundaries on noise levels. Setting clear expectations, modelling desired behaviour, using auditory and visual cues and identifying trigger points can all be helpful when looking to manage and reduce the noise level in your classroom.
This CPD training bundle focuses on identifying the root causes of rising noise levels in classrooms and explores a range of strategies to tackle this.
Redirecting Low-Level Disruption Calmly
It can be easy to let a few low-level behaviours slide in your classroom, and sometimes ignoring them is the right approach. However, consistently doing so can impact the behaviour of others around them, as well as individuals falling into bad habits. Low-level disruptive behaviours, such as talking out of turn, fidgeting or being off-task, are common in classrooms and can interfere with a positive learning environment if left. Redirecting these behaviours in a calm and proactive way helps maintain focus and respect while minimising the escalation of minor issues into larger ones. Utilising subtle redirection techniques, such as asking the pupil a task-related question or reframing instructions positively can help, as can exploring any underlying causes for the low-level behaviours.
This 29-slide CPD PowerPoint, designed to last between 30 minutes to 1 hour, is a ready-to-roll CPD session on managing low-level disruption. It's a perfect way to train staff in the different ways they can redirect a pupil's behaviour to get learning back on track for all. With examples, eight behaviour management scenarios to choose from and thoughtful questions, the session allows for collaboration and sharing between staff members so you can be sure everyone's on the same page when it comes to managing disruptive behaviour.
Staying Calm When Things Escalate
When it comes to managing behaviour in the classroom, responding calmly is one of the most powerful tools a teacher has. A calm, measured response can prevent escalation and help pupils regulate their emotions. Here are some strategies for maintaining and fostering a calm, positive learning environment:
- Use a neutral tone and body language
- Pause before responding
- Acknowledge and validate your feelings
- Use positive reinforcement
- Reframe and redirect the conversation
- Use clear, consistent language
- Encourage self-reflection
In the moment, it's easy to feel the tension rising and your heart racing. However, practising calm responses practically during staff training sessions can help the team to have strategies to fall back on when they can feel a situation escalating. Use this comprehensive CPD training PowerPoint to explore how your staff feel and why it can feel natural to respond to situations with heightened emotions, before trialing alternatives together.
You can explore these budget-friendly, in-house behaviour CPD training materials and more, here.