Behaviour in Scottish schools: research report 2023

Chapter 8 – Impact of behaviour

Summary of findings

Staff were asked to rate the level of impact^[78] each of the three categories of pupil behaviour (serious disruptive behaviour; disengagement and low level disruptive behaviour) had on the overall ethos and atmosphere of the school. Low level disruptive behaviour was identified by school staff as having the greatest negative impact, with almost all (94%) staff in the survey reporting that this behaviour had an impact on school ethos and atmosphere^[79]. Slightly lower proportions, though still the vast majority, said that disengagement behaviours and serious disruptive behaviour have a negative impact.

Teachers and support staff were also asked which three of the wider set of behaviours (that they reported having experienced within the last teaching week^[80]) had the greatest negative impact on their teaching experience or their experience as a support staff member. The three behaviours that staff identified as having the greatest overall negative impact were all low-level disruptive behaviours; talking out of turn, hindering other pupils and using/looking at mobile phones/tablets inappropriately.

In primary schools, the behaviour most frequently selected as having the greatest negative impact on experience is talking out of turn, with more than half of primary school staff (57%) selecting this behaviour. In secondary schools, the behaviour most commonly reported as having the greatest negative impact is pupils using/looking at mobile phones or tablets when they shouldn't be, again with more than half of secondary school staff selecting this behaviour (52%) said this was one of the three behaviours that had the greatest negative impact, a notable increase since 2016. Perceptions of the specific impact of low level disruptive behaviour varied across qualitative participants. There were participants that felt disengagement and class disruption was manageable, whilst others described how it had exacerbated stress and burnout among staff.

In line with the reported increase in low-level and serious disruptive behaviour, the level of perceived impact of negative behaviour has also increased since 2016 across all behaviour types (low level disruptive, disengagement and serious disruptive behaviour), and staff groups, particularly for secondary teachers. There has also been a notable increase since 2016 in primary school support staff reporting being negatively impacted by verbal abuse, physical aggression, and physical violence towards themselves and other staff. Support staff are more likely than teachers to report that serious disruptive behaviours (i.e. verbally or physically aggressive or abusive behaviour) have the greatest negative impact on staff experience. This is line with the findings presented in Chapter 4, that a higher proportion of support staff report encountering such behaviours compared with other staff.

For those experiencing violent and aggressive pupil behaviour, qualitative participants reported a profound impact on their mental health as well as their role. Particular concern was raised regarding the wellbeing of teaching and support staff, who frequently manage disruptive behaviour in classrooms. Violent and aggressive behaviour was also seen to have an impact on school ethos and atmosphere, and had led to greater stress and anxiety across participants and a tense atmosphere within schools.

Interviewees perceived incidents of pupil violence and aggression having a negative impact on the mental health of pupils. Teaching and support staff shared instances where other pupils displayed fear and avoidance in response to aggressive behaviour. Persistent low level disruption was also said to have led to greater acceptance, and imitation of, inappropriate behaviours among pupils. However, positive pupil behaviour, as well as staff and pupil buy-in regarding school values, created a welcoming and nurturing environment in schools.

Introduction

This chapter draws on both survey and qualitative findings to explore the perceived impact of pupil behaviour. In the survey, headteachers, teachers and support staff were asked about the impact of three different types of behaviour – serious disruptive behaviour, disengagement and low level disruptive behaviour - on school ethos/atmosphere. They were also asked which behaviours they felt had the greatest negative impact.

In the qualitative interviews and focus groups, headteachers, teachers and support staff discussed the perceived impact on themselves and other staff, pupils and the school ethos/atmosphere.

Impact of behaviour on overall ethos/atmosphere of the school

All staff were asked to rate the level of impact, on a scale of one to five (one being ‘not at all,’ five being ‘a great deal’), each of the following types of pupil behaviour - both in class and around the school - had on the overall ethos/atmosphere of the school: serious disruptive behaviour; disengagement and low level disruptive behaviour.

For each behaviour, a significant majority of staff reported some sort of impact (i.e. a rating greater than one). Almost all (94%) staff reported an impact from low level disruptive behaviour, 90% reported an impact from disengagement, and 88% reported an impact from serious disruptive behaviour. The level of perceived impact of each behaviour is shown in Figure 8.1. As the graph shows, the highest perceived impact was from low level disruptive behaviour with 47% of staff rating the impact at four or five compared with 41% doing so for disengagement and 43% for serious disruptive behaviour.

Differences between staff groups

Headteachers were less likely than teachers or support staff to perceive any behaviour as having a high impact (a score of four or five) on school atmosphere/ethos. For example, as shown in Figure 8.2, whilst only 13% of headteachers believed low level disruption had a high impact, the same was true for 50% of teachers and 42% of support staff.

Differences between school type

Disengagement and disruptive behaviours were more likely to be reported as having any sort of impact and a greater level of impact in secondary schools than primary schools (Figure 8.3). Ninety-seven percent of secondary school staff believed disengagement had some impact on school atmosphere/ethos compared with 83% of primary school staff; 55% of secondary school staff perceived a high level of impact from this behaviour compared with 28% of primary school staff.

Differences over time^[81]

The perceived impact by school staff of negative behaviour on school ethos/atmosphere increased between 2016 and 2023. This increase is evident across all behaviour types and staff groups but is particularly clear amongst secondary school teachers and support staff. For example, as shown in Figure 8.4 and 8.5, whereas in 2016 33% of teachers and 24% of support staff in secondary schools believed disengagement was having a high impact on school ethos/atmosphere, in 2023 this had increased to 54% and 53% respectively. It is notable that the least amount of change between 2016 and 2023 was reported by primary headteachers. The perceived impact of low level disruption, disengagement and serious disruptive behaviour for this group remained broadly similar over time.

For the above figure 3% of secondary teachers said they ‘Don’t know’ how much disengagement by pupils (both in class and around the school) affects the overall ethos/atmosphere of your school, 2% said the same for low level disruptive behaviour and 4% for serious disruptive behaviour.

For the above figure 10% of secondary support staff said they ‘Don’t know’ how much disengagement by pupils (both in class and around the school) affects the overall ethos/atmosphere of your school, 6% said the same for low level disruptive behaviour and 9% for serious disruptive behaviour.

Wider impact of behaviour within schools

In interviews and focus groups with headteachers, teachers and support staff, participants discussed the impact of different types of pupil behaviour on the ethos and atmosphere in both primary and secondary schools.

Perceptions of impact on ethos and atmosphere within schools

When discussing the impact of pupil behaviour on the ethos and atmosphere within schools, headteachers, teachers and support staff reported both positive and negative impacts. In schools where pupil disruption and incidents of physical violence were more prevalent, this led to greater tension and anxiety throughout the schools and a perceived lack of safety for both pupils and staff. Additionally, pupil disruption and disengagement led to frustration among staff and lowered morale and motivation. It was common for participants to discuss the behaviour of a minority of pupils that had a negative impact across different classrooms and its influence on the atmosphere within their schools. Where disruptive behaviours were more localised within classrooms, participants felt that it did not impact the overall school ethos but might still impact on staff and pupils during lessons.

School staff perceived that positive pupil behaviour, however, contributed to a more positive ethos and atmosphere within school. Participants shared instances where pupils had been polite and welcoming towards staff and other pupils, emphasising positive supportive behaviour displayed towards pupils with additional support needs. These types of behaviour were perceived as creating a welcoming environment within schools.

“We give them responsibilities on parents' night for meeting and greeting the parents. Yes, I think it just creates a very positive ethos and people can really see the relationships between everybody in the building.” (Primary headteacher)

Where schools had found nurturing and restorative approaches to be successful, participants felt this created a positive atmosphere and sense of community within and beyond the classroom.

“I think it allows you to actually do your job, to actually teach. I think you can then see the learning, you can see the progress and that spirals in positively. The more children are learning, the more engaged they are, the more positive the ethos of the whole school. I think that's good for everybody [chuckles], yes.” (Primary teacher)

Buy-in from both staff and pupils regarding school values was reported as greatly contributing to the overall ethos of the school. Pupils that were perceived as eager to learn and polite were celebrated and made role models in order to support more vulnerable pupils.

Perceptions of impact on ability to cover the curriculum

When discussing the impact of pupil behaviour, teachers had varying experiences and views on their ability to cover the curriculum. There were teachers that felt confident in their ability to cover the curriculum, attributing this to their experience and ability to communicate with the pupils that display disruptive behaviour. This was discussed as being accomplished despite challenges occurring within the classroom.

“You're having to deal with behaviour in the room and you're being taken away from delivering the curriculum. As an experienced member of staff, you do ensure that you teach to a high standard. You teach what you need to teach, regardless of having to deal with the behaviour. In a classroom where everything was perfect, you would have no behaviour issues, you would be able to teach the course excellently. In the real world, that doesn't happen very often.” (Secondary teacher)

Both low level and serious disruptive behaviour was perceived by teaching and support staff as negatively impacting their ability to cover the curriculum. Teachers found the time taken away from lessons to manage behaviour to be particularly frustrating. Severe disruptions, such as those leading to classroom evacuations, have led to teachers taking additional time away from their planned lesson to ensure pupils are feeling safe and ready to learn after the incident. Additionally, waiting for support from senior school management to help manage disruption had also taken learning time and support away from other pupils.

Disruptive pupil behaviour had also impacted the quality of teaching. The limited time available as a result of behaviour management was felt to have affected teachers’ ability to teach lessons in-depth. With persistent low level disruption, school staff discussed challenges with delivering high-quality lessons. Additionally, pupils that displayed dysregulated behaviour and missed class time as a result through removal from the classroom were also missing opportunities to learn.

“…because if you've got severe disruption you have to call for back-up from senior colleagues to you and that's minutes lost calling them, waiting for them to arrive and we're starting to see that more and more as well. Obviously, therefore some students are getting a much less high-quality education than perhaps some years ago where this was much less.” (Secondary teacher)

When pupils were perceived as showing a lack of interest in participating and learning, teachers discussed adapting lesson plans to maintain or increase engagement. However, there were also teachers that reported difficulties in addressing disengagement and persistent disruption within the classroom. In these cases, time was often taken away from learning to ensure pupils remained on task, impacting the pace of learning and teachers’ ability to build on the foundations of lessons.

Participants also emphasised the importance of building strong relationships between staff and pupils to promote positive behaviour within classrooms. However, this was perceived as not always being possible due to consistent disruption and decreased willingness of pupils to participate in lessons. Persistent low level disruption was also viewed as affecting other pupils, particularly those who required learning support in the classroom, as teachers and support staff were more focussed on resolving the issue. This, in combination with pressures to improve attainment, had led to increased frustration among teaching staff.

Violent and aggressive behaviour from a minority of pupils within the classroom was perceived as impacting on teachers’ ability to cover the curriculum in terms of class engagement. For example, when specific pupils that tended to display serious disruptive behaviour were not present in a lesson, teachers had reported seeing a clear difference in other pupils’ willingness to participate in lessons and activities. Classroom staff reported observing pupils engaging less in lessons when certain pupils who had shown aggressive behaviour were present in the classroom and perceived this as a response to avoid unwanted attention from these pupils.

Behaviours that have the greatest negative impact on experience

Teachers and support staff were also asked which three of the wider set of behaviours (that they reported having experienced within the last teaching week^[82]) had the greatest negative impact on their teaching experience or their experience as a support staff member.

The behaviours frequently reported to have the greatest negative impact on staff’s experience were within the ‘low level disruptive’ category. The most commonly mentioned negative behaviour was talking out of turn, which was selected by 52% of respondents. This was followed by hindering other pupils, which was selected by 30% and using/looking at mobile phones/tablets etc. when they shouldn’t (26%). The fourth and fifth most commonly selected were work avoidance (24%) and general rowdiness, horseplay or mucking about (17%). Smaller proportions of staff selected serious disruptive behaviours towards other pupils and staff as having the greatest impact, ranging from 0% selecting racist, sexist, religious, homophobic, biphobic or transphobic abuse towards other pupils and staff or abuse due to a disability to 5-7% selecting general verbal abuse or physical violence towards other pupils or staff. These figures are shown in Supplementary table 8.4.

Differences between staff groups

Whilst talking out of turn was the most frequently mentioned negative behaviour for both staff groups, the proportion reporting it was much higher for teachers than for support staff. More than twice the proportion of teachers to support staff considered talking out of turn the most negative behaviour (61% compared with 26%).

Tables 8.1 and 8.2 show the most frequently mentioned negative behaviours for each staff type. Among teachers these were: talking out of turn, hindering other pupils and using/looking at mobile phones/tablets when they shouldn’t. Around twice the proportion of teachers selected each of these compared with support staff. Among support staff these were: Talking out of turn, general verbal abuse towards either themselves or other staff and cheeky or impertinent remarks or responses. Among the most commonly selected after these were also using/looking at mobile phones/tablets etc. when they shouldn’t (16%) and physical aggression and violence towards themselves or other staff (11%). Support staff selected a wider range of behaviours as having the most impact than teachers (as shown in supplementary table 8.4).

* It should also be noted that 19% of support staff select ‘Prefer not to say’ for this question, much higher than the proportion of teachers who select this (0%).

Support staff were more likely than teachers to consider certain serious disruptive behaviours - specifically verbally or physically aggressive behaviour and verbal or physically abusive behaviour - as the most impactful negative behaviours (see Figure 8.6).

Differences between school type

In primary schools, talking out of turn was the most referenced negative behaviour with 57% of staff selecting it. Other behaviours frequently mentioned as having the greatest negative impact included hindering other pupils (36%) and work avoidance (22%).

In secondary schools, the most commonly mentioned negative behaviour was pupils using/looking at mobile phones/tablets when they shouldn’t – this behaviour was mentioned by 52% of staff.^[83] The next most frequently mentioned behaviours were talking out of turn (46%) and work avoidance (26%).

Differences over time

For primary teachers, there was very little change in the behaviours perceived to have had the greatest negative impact on their experience between 2016 and 2023. Whilst the proportions selecting them varied a little, the top five behaviours selected were identical in both years for this group. These were: talking out of turn, hindering other pupils, work avoidance, making unnecessary (non-verbal) noise and general rowdiness, horseplay or mucking about.

Among secondary school teachers, the principal change was a significant rise in the proportion identifying students using/looking at phones/tablets when they shouldn’t as the behaviour with the greatest negative impact on their experience. In 2016, 33% of secondary school teachers selected this behaviour, compared to 57% in 2023.

Amongst support staff there was a notable rise since 2016 in the proportion reporting certain serious disruptive behaviours having the greatest negative impact on their experience. For example, in 2023 18% of primary school support staff reported being negatively impacted by general verbal abuse towards them/other staff compared with just 5% who reported this in 2016. Figure 8.7 demonstrates similar rises in the reported impact of physical aggression and physical violence abuse on primary school support staff’s experience.

There was also an increase in the proportion of secondary school support staff who reported general verbal abuse towards them/other staff as having the greatest negative impact on their experience. This rose from 5% in 2016 to 18% in 2023.

Although a smaller proportion of staff cited these types of behaviours as having the greatest negative impact^[84], it is worth noting that the proportion of secondary support staff reporting negative impact of a range of serious disruptive behaviours has increased (see Figure 8.8). For example, compared with 2016, secondary school support staff in 2023 were more likely to report negative impact from physical aggression and physical violence, pupils being under the influence of drugs/alcohol and pupils using digital technology abusively.

Impact of behaviour on staff and pupils

In interviews and focus groups with school staff, participants reported the impact of different types of behaviour and their severity on themselves and other staff within the school. Headteachers, teachers and support staff discussed the particular impact on their own as well as other staff members’ health and roles.

Impact on staff

Negative impact on staff wellbeing and morale was perceived to be an impact of both serious and low level disruptive behaviour. Frustration as a result of managing consistent low level disruptive behaviour had a particular impact on staff morale and mental health. The stress of managing constant low level behaviour was thought to have led to greater burnout and persistent stress which continued outside of school. The time taken and effort required from teachers and support staff to ensure pupils engage and focus in the classroom was described as being tiring and mentally draining. Pupils displaying a lack of respect towards school staff and disengagement in the classroom had exacerbated these feelings of frustration and exhaustion.

“I think it's just more draining but low level behaviour I find is more challenging than the odd chair getting thrown across a classroom, because it's all the time. I think teachers get frustrated that they're working really hard to engage the children and they're just kind of sitting back and they want education done to them rather than them having an active part, an active role in their learning. I think, yes, they just find it frustrating and quite draining.” (Primary headteacher)

Violent and aggressive behaviour towards staff and pupils had reportedly led to poorer staff mental and physical health. In terms of mental health, both teaching and support staff reported high levels of stress and anxiety, particularly for schools with a higher prevalence of violent incidents. This had led to a perceived increase in teaching and support staff being signed-off work due to work-related stress.

“I think that we are getting increasingly anxious as teachers. I think there's not enough discussion on the mental health of teachers, but you are starting to see burnout, which is increasing more, anxiety which is increasing more”. (Secondary teacher)

Participants also described difficulties with sleep, experiences of dread at the thought of encountering more violent behaviour and questioning their role and ability to teach and support pupils. Anticipation of further outbursts of aggression and violence led to a perceived increase in levels of anxiety in both teaching and support staff. Participants highlighted feelings of guilt at not being able to keep other pupils safe from a minority of young people who display violent and aggressive behaviour or to prevent them from witnessing verbal and physical abuse directed at other staff members. Teachers expressed particular concern for the wellbeing of support staff, who are in regular contact with pupils demonstrating aggressive behaviour.

“They're paid a pittance and they are on the frontline of a lot of it…My [support staff] are at the door taking hit after hit after hit, and I'm sitting there going, 'I can't do anything,' so I don't know how the management team must feel. I know that in my classroom, I am in charge. My [support staff] are my responsibility; the children are my responsibility. I can't keep my [support staff] safe.” (Primary teacher)

There were participants who stated that pupil behaviour did not have an impact on their mental or physical health. One reason for this was that these teachers reported having few to no experiences of violent behaviour directed towards them or exhibited in the classroom. Others described feeling confident in addressing challenging pupil behaviour or thought there were sufficient approaches and strategies in place to de-escalate incidents. There were participants who discussed how the impact of behaviour is likely to vary across school staff, in terms of different teaching styles and attitudes. Not taking pupil behaviour personally and understanding the underlying reasons for behaviour were some ways in which teaching and support staff said they were coping with behaviour challenges.

Additionally, there were participants who highlighted how support from other staff and senior management alleviated the impact on their own mental health. However, those that perceived there was a lack of support within or outwith the school found it particularly difficult to manage their mental stress. For participants who felt there were strong relationships between staff and pupils and where approaches to managing behaviour were successful, experiences of disruptive behaviour had less of an impact.

Positive pupil behaviour was also reported to have a positive impact on the mental health and morale of school staff. Although a majority of pupils were described as polite, kind and helpful, there was a perception that this can often be overshadowed by the minority of pupils displaying challenging and aggressive behaviour. Teachers and support staff discussed “taking the small wins”, supporting each other and sharing instances where approaches to promoting positive behaviour have been successful in terms of its impact on pupils and their learning.

In interviews and focus groups, headteachers, teachers and support staff also discussed the range of ways pupil behaviour had impacted on their roles. Participants described their roles in school as changing because of the increased need for behaviour management in classrooms. Staff discussed taking on what they perceived as babysitting and parenting roles to manage constant low level disruption in classrooms.

“It's become more what I would imagine social work or parenting. You feel like you're good cop/bad cop, instilling parenting skills where maybe they're lacking at home. Dealing with things that are happening outwith school, dealing with things that are happening in school before you can even look at teaching.” (Secondary teacher)

“Me, I think it's draining. You don't feel like you're teaching, you feel like you're babysitting. It's the constant wee things, just making sure they're working, turn around, they're not working, so you're back over there.” (Secondary teacher)

The perceived change in the role of support staff was also raised by participants, emphasising the increased need for behaviour management in schools and the importance of the role of support staff within classrooms. Their role was originally considered as closing the attainment gap and supporting learning, but participants perceived this as now more focused on behaviour management.

“It's a different type of work they're doing. Some of them are acting as mothers - we've got some guys here as well; mothers, brothers, fathers, role models. Some of them are acting as kind of social work assistants, bridges between the family and the school. I think the role they carry out is completely different now. They're completely underpaid and they're a scarce resource and they're always one that the council cuts first, because the government never report on [number of] support staff members.” (Secondary headteacher)

Serious disruptive behaviour had led to school staff adapting and creating more contingency plans, with the result that more focus was being lost from the lessons. Experiences of violent and aggressive behaviour, as well as pupil disengagement, led to some teachers questioning their roles and expressing feelings of failure.

“When you've got quite extreme behaviours and then you've got a lot of low level behaviours you can't do it all. So yes, I felt just like I was failing all of them. The thing with teaching is even although it is just a job, it's not just a job, because you give your all to it and not really feeling super supported.” (Primary teacher)

There were also participants that discussed resilience with regards to their own ability to successfully manage pupil behaviour. Strong relationships with pupils, as well as experience in the role, contributed to this. Positive pupil behaviour had also impacted on participants’ roles. Teachers shared feeling more positive and motivated when behaviour management approaches had been successful and when pupils have created a welcoming environment within the school and classroom. Seeing the progress of pupils and having a positive work environment was reported as making the job worthwhile and rewarding.

Impact on pupils

School staff, in both primary and secondary schools, also discussed how they believed violent and aggressive behaviour and persistent low level behaviour had impacted on other pupils within their school in relation to mental health, class engagement and attendance.

Despite pupils who display serious disruptive behaviour being in the minority, participants discussed the profound impact violent and aggressive behaviour has had on other pupils within classrooms and the school in terms of pupil mental health. Exposure to violent and aggressive behaviour was seen by support staff as worsening the mental health of other pupils. Teachers and support staff shared instances of other pupils expressing dread and fear at the thought of being targeted by pupils who displayed particularly distressed behaviour, and anxiety after witnessing verbal and physical abuse targeted towards teaching and support staff.

“We have pupils who are afraid to come to school. We have pupils who when they, the teacher asks them to come and sit down on the carpet, who will seek out a wall and sit with their back against a wall because they've been punched or kicked in the back so many times when they've been sat on the carpet. We have pupils in the school who see the members of staff who are there to work with them, to teach them, to protect them, being assaulted and shouted at and sworn out and punched and kicked. Children whose classrooms are evacuated, whose resources are broken and smashed, who can't go to certain parts of the school because other children are there.” (Primary headteacher)

Despite this exposure to violent and aggressive behaviour, there were teachers that highlighted the resilience of their pupils. Despite disruption, other pupils were viewed as being able to cope with the behaviour and continue participating in the lesson. This ability to cope, however, was not applicable to all pupils and participants also shared instances where the opposite was the case.

Participants also discussed the impact of pupil behaviour on class engagement and attendance. Avoidant pupil behaviours, such as the desire to not attend classes and disengaging in learning activities, were reported by both teaching and support staff. Decreases in class attendance were perceived to be associated with experiences of bullying and intimidation from particular pupils. Experiences of serious disruptive behaviour had also led to school responses, such as classroom evacuations which had come to be viewed as the norm among pupils with a negative impact on the classroom environment and pace of learning.

Teachers and support staff also reported how a lack of long-term consequences for pupils demonstrating disruptive behaviour had also resulted in a “domino effect”, skewing pupil perceptions on what is considered acceptable behaviour in the classroom and resulting in other pupils mimicking this behaviour. Additionally, teachers and support staff discussed how pupils have become increasingly frustrated by persistent disruption in the classroom, particularly for those that were viewed as eager to learn and were not able to or confident enough to ignore it.

Participants also described instances where pupils had been tolerant of challenging and disruptive behaviour, particularly when displayed by pupils with additional support needs.

“A lot of the time they're incredibly compliant and tolerant of behaviour that has gone on and I think it's testament to them I suppose as human beings, because they recognise that not everybody functions in the same way as them. It's also I think testament to how schools have tried to move forward in terms of how we manage these situations as well.” (Secondary teacher)

Headteachers, teachers and support staff also spoke of the range of ways the majority of pupils in both secondary and primary schools demonstrated positive behaviour, such as showing kindness and being respectful to other pupils and staff. However, participants also discussed how positive pupil behaviour can be overlooked when teachers and support staff are consistently preoccupied with managing disruptive behaviour. Support staff discussed how this lack of praise or recognition, particularly from senior management, could demotivate pupils who consistently display positive behaviour.

“The bad behaviour outshines everything else. It's actually a sin. It's an absolute shame because there (are) really nice, really good kids.” (Secondary support staff)