Ofsted’s latest report on the Behaviour Improvement Programme (BIP), Improving Behaviour and Attendance in Primary Schools shows it has had a good impact on both primary and secondary schools but in a minority of secondary schools behaviour and attendance have deteriorated.
Key elements of the programme included development of behaviour and education support teams, use of ‘learning mentors’, appointment of attendance workers, establishing provision for disruptive pupils and developing provision for excluded pupils from day one of the exclusion.
Primary schools have made better overall progress than secondary schools. Small but significant changes have increased or maintained attendance, reduced parentally condoned absence and improved attitudes, motivation and pupil behaviour.
The picture in secondary schools is more disappointing, but their problems are more complex. In a minority of schools where behaviour and attendance deteriorated, a combination of factors came into force, such as ineffective senior management, high staff turnover, weak teaching and inconsistency in implementing behaviour strategies.
www.ofsted.gov.uk