Rating description:
- Fully met: All school staff are encouraged to and practice exemplary conduct towards each other and pupils. This is reflected in school staff inductions and includes external organisations who provide services within school. For example, after school club staff.
- Partially met: Most school staff are encouraged to and practice exemplary conduct towards each other and pupils. However it is not reflected in school staff induction and / or external organisations who provide services within school do not model this behaviour.
- Not yet met: Most or all school staff are not encouraged to and do not practice exemplary conduct towards each other and pupils.
Why is this important?
Children and young people are always watching, listening and learning from those around them, so it's important that staff model the respectful conduct that you want to see from your pupils. Modelling behaviour is the best way for pupils to undestand what is and what isn't acceptable in school. This was also very important to the young people we have spoken to.
Tips:
- Some schools do this via a class 'contract' which everyone signs (including adult staff) and describes how they treat each other.
- Some schools have a list of words that are associated with their school that pupils and staff can recite and refer to.
- It is important that role modelling behaviour is known by all school staff including non-teaching staff, or staff that are externally contracted (for example, after school club staff and other regular visitors).
- Can this be fed into school staff induction packs / training? Can it be written into school policies and contracts with external providers?
Resources and examples
Resources
- Respectful School Communities Self-Review and Signposting Tool
- DfE research into effective anti-bullying strategies found about staff role-modelling behaviour:
"Adult modelling of positive relationships and communication is when staff relate to pupils and each other in a way that models positive behaviour. Adult modelling of positive relationships and communication underpins particular whole-school strategies (e.g. restorative approaches and rights respecting schools). This strategy was used by the vast majority of schools from all sectors and was given some of the highest ratings for a proactive strategy.
Most schools were very positive about this strategy. Schools identified consistency as fundamental to the modelling of positive relationships and communication. School staff were responsible for providing good role models and leading by example. Students needed the ‘emotional intelligence of good role models’. Adult modelling of positive relationships and communication was also essential to whole- school ethos which included restorative schools, rights respecting schools and schools with respect policies. Some schools reported adult modelling of positive relationships and communication was ‘hugely effective’ in preventing bullying, with one primary school claiming: ‘It is what staff should be doing and has improved behaviour and reduced bullying over five years’. Other schools said they had little evidence of effectiveness."
Examples
Please note that examples from primary and other school settings may still include some useful hints and tips you can adapt and apply for a secondary setting.
- Primary School Case Study - on whole-school approach to behaviour management and modelling by adults
See below for quotes and pieces of advice from other schools:
- "As a school, we offer a nurturing and positive approach to learning and school. We model respect and ensure that we treat our children fairly, with their needs at the centre."
- "All staff have signed and read our school Code of Conduct which emphasises and encourages them to behaviour in a way that is exemplary. Learning walks and observations are regularly conducted on staff and postive conduct is highlighted. INSET days also highlight as a reminder of behaviour that staff must follow."
- "We have a health and wellbeing team now and a buddy system has been set up. Each staff member has a secret buddy who they may buy gifts for or do acts of kindness to them. This is to increase staff moral and wellbeing. After a recent staff questionaire 90% of staff members are fully happy in school with how other staff members treat them. SLT have monitored behaviour and can see that staff do model exemplary conduct towards children."
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Note: the resources listed at the bottom of this page (below) have all been referenced in the text above.