Guidance

Behaviour and discipline in schools

How school leaders and staff can develop a school behaviour policy, including checklists to support full school opening following the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.

Published 16 July 2013
Last updated 9 July 2020 — see all updates

• From: Department for Education

• Applies to: England

Documents

Behaviour and discipline in schools: guidance for headteachers and staff

Ref: DFE-00023-2014 PDF, 280KB, 14 pages

Getting the simple things right: Charlie Taylor's behaviour checklists

PDF, 726KB, 6 pages

Checklist for school leaders to support full opening: behaviour and attendance

PDF, 172KB, 4 pages

Details

The main guidance document applies to all schools and explains the powers members of staff have to discipline pupils.

‘Getting things right’ is a checklist of actions to take to encourage good behaviour in pupils.

‘Checklist for school leaders to support full opening: behaviour and attendance’ contains advice for staff on how to re-engage pupils who are returning to school following the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.

You can also read:

• strategies for improving behaviour in Tom Bennett’s report ‘Creating a culture: how school leaders can optimise behaviour’
• Behaviour and discipline in schools: guidance for governing bodies

Published 16 July 2013
Last updated 9 July 2020 + show all updates

1. 9 July 2020

   Added 'Checklist for school leaders to support full opening: behaviour and attendance'.

2. 4 January 2016

   Amended document to reflect that, from January 2016, schools will no longer have an obligation to use home-school agreements.

3. 24 September 2015

   Extended review date: we have reviewed and republished this guidance and confirmed it is up to date.

4. 12 September 2014

   Updated to remove references to running from the list of sanctions at school.

5. 3 February 2014

   Updated with new advice on sanctions for poor behaviour.

6. 16 July 2013

   First published.