Relationships and behaviour in schools: national action plan 2024 to 2027

Action Plan Outcomes

As a result of the actions of this plan, the intention is that schools and school staff will:

• feel safe and supported in their place of work, confident that their employer is acting in line with their legislative duties including health and safety legislation and the Equality Act 2010;
• have in place school-level relationships and behaviour policies, in line with national guidance and developed in collaboration with staff, parents and children and young people, which set clear expectations of positive relationships and behaviour;
• be able to draw on national guidance and support to implement evidence-based relationships and behaviour approaches, including exemplification of relevant practice;
• work together towards a culture of collaboration and collegiality with teachers and school staff, parents, carers, children and young people, and multi-agency partners;
• be able to put in place appropriate assessment of wellbeing and plan of support, in keeping with statutory duties, and applying both the GIRFEC principles and Additional Support for Learning duties, when a child’s social, emotional and/or behavioural needs give rise to a wellbeing concern;
• be supported in their wellbeing, with links made to wider support as appropriate;
• be empowered to implement a culture of high expectations by implementing an understanding of behaviour, child development, classroom management skills and a spectrum of evidence-based relationships and behaviour approaches;
• understand within the school context how to support children who have experienced trauma and adversity;
• have improved access to relevant professional learning, and wellbeing support, to assist them in their roles;
• be supported to adopt robust, evidence-based approaches to addressing disruption and abuse, including that caused by mobile phones;
• be confident and competent addressing behaviour rooted in inequality, including those linked to the protected characteristics in the Equality Act 2010.
• feel confident to report, record, monitor, assess and respond to individual incidents and patterns of behaviour;
• have procedures in place for undertaking assessment of need, risk assessments and clear expectations of local and multi-agency support.

The intention is that all c hildren and young people will:

• feel safe and supported in their learning environment;
• be included, engaged and involved in their learning;
• be able to learn in a culture that promotes equality and the prevention of discrimination;
• be supported to understand their emotions, develop communication, co- and self-regulation and social skills, supported by a partnership of parents, carers, schools and school staff, and other professionals;
• be supported in their wellbeing, with links made to wider support as appropriate;
• be involved in the development of policies and curricula relevant to wellbeing, social and emotional learning, relationships, and social skills to promote greater understanding and use of relational approaches;
• understand clearly the expectations of their behaviour and the behaviour of all in the school community - and how the school’s relationships and behaviour policy will apply when these are not met;
• feel confident to report incidents and be confident that their school and the wider system will have an appropriate response;
• be provided with accurate information about vaping, and the impact it can have on their life and health, to support them to make healthy choices.

Over time, the intention is that children, young people and staff will:

• experience higher levels of engagement in learning;
• experience fewer instances of dysregulated, distressed, violent or abusive behaviour;
• experience fewer instances of misogyny and gender-based violence;
• experience fewer instances of harassment or abuse motivated by prejudice or linked to a protected characteristic;
• experience a reduction in vaping at school, which will benefit their learning and health.

The intention is that parents and carers will:

• develop and feel part of a shared understanding of positive relationships, partnership-working and supporting children and young people to create effective learning environments;
• be an integral part of the development and implementation of policies about relationships, behaviour and support in schools;
• play a key role as part of a whole-school approach to relationships and behaviour in ensuring children and young people hear consistent messages and have consistent support;
• understand the prevalence and consequences of children and young people vaping;
• understand clearly the expectations of their behaviour in interactions with the wider school community.