Some Major National Reports on Behaviour in Schools
DES (1989) Discipline in Schools (the ‘Elton Report’) Available at https://www.education-uk.org/documents/elton/elton1989.html (accessed 25/2/25)
This is old but was very influential. A lot of its recommendations are reflected in subsequent guidance on behaviour.
DfES (2005) Learning Behaviour: The Report of the Practitioners’ Group on School Behaviour and Discipline (the ‘Steer Report’).Available at https://www.education-uk.org/documents/pdfs/2005-steer-report-learning-behaviour.pdf (accessed 25/2/25)
Steer, A (2009) Learning Behaviour: Lessons Learned. Available at https://education-uk.org/documents/pdfs/2009-steer-report-lessons-learned.pdf (accessed 25/2/25)
Bennett, T (2017) Creating a Culture: How School Leaders Can Optimise Behaviour. Available at https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a7506e4ed915d3c7d529cec/Tom_Bennett_Independent_Review_of_Behaviour_in_Schools.pdf
(accessed (2025)
House of Commons Education Committee (2017) Behaviour and Discipline in Schools
First Report of Session 2010–11 Volume I. Available at https://dera.ioe.ac.uk/id/eprint/18001/1/516i.pdf (accessed 25/2/25)
National behaviour survey: Findings from Academic Year 2022/23 (2024) Available at https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6628dd9bdb4b9f0448a7e584/National_behaviour_survey_academic_year_2022_to_2023.pdf
(accessed 25/2/25)
This one is different to those above as it does not make any recommendations, it simply uses data to set out the current 'state of play' with regard to behaviour in schools
Department (currently 'DfE') Guidance on Behaviour inSchools
DfE (2024) Behaviour in Schools Advice for headteachers and school staff. Available at https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/65ce3721e1bdec001a3221fe/Behaviour_in_schools_-_advice_for_headteachers_and_school_staff_Feb_2024.pdf (accessed 25/2/25).
At the time of writing (25/2/25) this is the current guidance. It does get updated from time to time and given a new date. Hence on the DfE website it says 'Published 16 July 2013, Last updated 19 February 2024. One of the important updates in this version was the expectation that schools prohibit the use of mobile phones throughout the school day. The principle is 'never seen, never heard' but it allows schools to decide how to implement this (eg phones always off and in bags or deposited in secure storage location at the start of the day)
DfE (2024) Mobile phones in schools: Guidance for schools on prohibiting the use of mobile phones throughout the school day.
This document, along with some others published by the DfE on mobile phone, is available here https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/mobile-phones-in-schools (accessed 25/2/25)
DfE (2022) Behaviour and discipline in schools: Advice for head teachers and school staff. Available at https://dera.ioe.ac.uk/id/eprint/39376/1/Behaviour_in_schools_guidance_sept_22.pdf (accessed 25/2/25)
This is one of three updates to this document in 2022. This September revision updated paragraph 58 in the section about responding to the behaviour of pupils with SEND. The January update changed the title to Behaviour in schools: advice for headteachers and school staff. The October update amended the ‘Details’ section to make it clear that the guidance also applies to independent schools.
DfE (2016) Behaviour and discipline in schools: A guide for head teachers and school staff. Available at https://dera.ioe.ac.uk/id/eprint/25117/1/Behaviour_and_Discipline_in_Schools_-_A_guide_for_headteachers_and_School_Staff.pdf (accessed 25/2/25)
DfE (2014) Behaviour and discipline in schools: A guide for head teachers and school staff. Available at https://dera.ioe.ac.uk/id/eprint/19446/1/Behaviour_and_Discipline_in_Schools_-a_guide_for_headteachers_and_school_staff.pdf (accessed 25/2/25)
DfE (2012) Behaviour and discipline in schools: A guide for head teachers and school staff. Available at https://dera.ioe.ac.uk/id/eprint/14478/1/Behaviour%20and%20discipline%20in%20schools%20-%20A%20guide%20for%20head%20teachers%20and%20school%20staff.pdf (accessed 25/2/25)
