Teachers' Standard 7

Manage behaviour effectively to ensure a good and safe learning environment

have clear rules and routines for behaviour in classrooms, and take responsibility for promoting good and courteous behaviour both in classrooms and around the school, in accordance with the school’s behaviour policy
have high expectations of behaviour, and establish a framework for discipline with a range of strategies, using praise, sanctions and rewards consistently and fairly
manage classes effectively, using approaches which are appropriate to pupils’ needs in order to involve and motivate them
maintain good relationships with pupils, exercise appropriate authority, and act decisively when necessary.

Early Career Teachers can find out more by listening to our podcasts

Our short podcasts offer advice and tips from our expert guest speakers, who look at what ECTs should focus on to meet the different teachers’ standards, what great practice looks like for ECTs, and how they can build evidence and work with their mentor to pass their assessment.

Rules and routines: A guide for ECTs

Mally Dolphin, the Lead Professional Tutor for Secondary at The Sharnbrook Academy Federation gives her advice on what ECTs need to know about Rules and Routines to pass their induction.

Praise, rewards and sanctions: A guide for ECTs

Bev Collier, the Lead professional Tutor for Primary at The Sharnbrook Academy Federation shares her experience of working with ECTs and gives her advice on how they can develop and evidence this area of practice for their assessment.

Top Tips for mentors on writing assessments for ECTs

Click below for advice and tips from NTA’s Quality Assurance Officers on writing ECT assessments.

Evidence

Where do I get evidence from to show that the ECT is meeting TS7?

Evidence needs to demonstrate that the Early Career Teacher can manage behaviour effectively to ensure a good and safe learning environment. Examples of where this can be found include:

Lesson observations: e.g. where an ECT demonstrates embedded classroom routines.
Seating plans: used effectively to manage pupil behaviour and adapted when needed.
Lesson plans: e.g. where the ECT shows scripts instructions which are manageable, specific and sequential.
Lesson evaluations: where the ECT considers the effectiveness of their behaviour management strategies, as well as being able to identify next steps to further their development of behaviour management, demonstrating a good understanding of managing behaviour and creating a safe learning environment.
Reflective journals: where the ECT accurately reflects upon and learns from their professional experiences and demonstrates a good theoretical knowledge of behaviour management.
CPD record which shows that the ECT has participated in and benefitted from CPD that has developed their behaviour management skills. Good evidence would be a reflection of the salient points of the CPD activity and the application of ideas, which have a positive impact on student behaviour.
Feedback from pupils: e.g. their thoughts on the consistency of classroom routines and their relationship with the teacher.
Feedback from parents and carers: which highlights positive pupil and teacher relationships and the positive working environment. This may be evidenced in emails, at parents’ evening or by conversations with parents and carers.
Feedback from colleagues: e.g. feedback from those that work closely with an ECT on how they use least-intrusive interventions to manage low level disruption or build trusting relationships with students. Example of this include witness statements from a colleague following a significant school event, or general feedback from the classroom.
School rewards and sanctions records: which demonstrate that the ECT is engaging effectively and consistently with the school behaviour management process.
Whole school activities: where the ECT engages with pupils outside of the classroom and with a focus on building their presence and relationships. (e.g. assemblies, trips, activity days, sports day, after school clubs, duties and form time).

For more advice on how to get evidence for ECT assessments, watch NTA's short presentation below.

Evaluative Statements

Points to consider when writing evaluative statements for Teachers’ Standard 7:

Does the ECT:

create and establish effective teaching routines in their classroom?
reinforce classroom routines?
consistently recognise and reward positive behaviour?
promote good behaviour?
pre-empt and prevent problem behaviours before they happen?
intervene early to counter low-level disruption by using least-intrusive interventions?
give manageable, specific and sequential instructions and check for understanding before students start a task?
build trusting relationships by liaising with parents, carers and colleagues?
apply the school behaviour policy when dealing with persistent and challenging behaviour?
provide an appropriate level of challenge to motivate students?

Example evaluative statements

‘Teacher X uses seating plans to effectively pre-empt and prevent behavioural issues in a year 9 science lesson. This was explained in the lesson plan and considered in the lesson evaluation’

‘Teacher Y has well established routines, which maximise learning time and makes students feel safe – routines are used for entrance, exit, transitions between tasks, during the modelling of practical experiments and in the peer assessment of work. The routines are efficient and students are clear on the different steps. This has been observed in learning walks and in lesson observations on 14^th October, 22^nd January and 7^th March.’

How to write an evaluative statement

An evaluative statement should include a qualitative statement along with something that is being judged, the extent to which it occurs and an example that helps to demonstrate the circumstances in which this was perceived or observed. This could be described as an ESEE statement where:

E = Evaluation
S = Subject
Ext = Extent
Exa = Example

Areas For Development

Areas to consider when setting targets:

A safe and positive learning environment: whether the ECT has a good understanding of how to create a safe and positive learning environment, what steps they puts in place to develop this and what is the impact of these strategies are e.g. uses a predictable system of reward and sanction in the classroom / uses early and least-intrusive interventions as an initial response to low level disruption.
High expectations: whether the ECT has high expectations of their students?
Establishing effective routines and rules: the extent to which the ECT has established effective routines and rules and the impact this has on maximising learning time.
Building trusting relationships with students: actions the ECT takes to build trusting relationships – e.g. liaising with parents and carers.
Levels of motivation amongst pupils: what strategies the ECT employs to ensure students are intrinsically motivated and the impact this has on student motivation.
Actions ECTs can take to develop their techniques for managing behaviour effectively and creating a safe learning environment e.g. attendance at conferences, CPD opportunities, observing other members of staff with a focus on behaviour management.

Example targets

‘Introduce and establish routines at the start and end of the lesson, as well as when transitioning between tasks, in order to maximise learning time. Ensure routines are simple, steps are numbered and time is allocated to practise these routines’.

‘Develop a safe learning environment by consistently using the school’s behaviour policy and systems when issuing rewards and sanctions. Build in time each day to log rewards and sanctions and ensure you follow them up. Show your log to your mentor at your weekly mentor meetings’.

How to write an area for development

When designing areas for development there should be a clear line of sight with the evaluative statement.

Focussed	Is the afd focussed on the specific standard?

Practical	Does the afd provide a practical action?

Developmental	Is the afd likely to develop knowledge, skill, understanding?

Achievable	Is the afd realistic?

Measurable	Will the afd be able to measure this quantitatively or qualitatively?

For more detailed guidance on writing a good assessment, read the following guide.

60 seconds with a recently qualified teacher

Recently qualified teacher Ryan Smart talks about what helped him pass his induction.

1. What advice would you give to an ECT trying to develop their practice of maintaining good relationships with pupils?

See the students outside of your classroom and by that I mean get involved in as many extra-curricular activities as you possibly can (without burning yourselves out!), have conversations whilst out on duty, turn up to their after school events. Reference these in your lessons as they enter for example saying: ‘Well done the other day, I saw your dance show – it was amazing!”.

I even danced in the staff dance for the school talent show (I can’t dance!). Students loved it.

If you show you truly care, then they will appreciate you as a teacher.

2.How did you develop your knowledge of creating a positive learning environment?

First and foremost, observing other teachers teach. Don’t just stick within your own department – see how other subjects classroom environments are, they may not all be positive, but that also helps you think how you would make yours more positive. If you are a classroom-based teacher go and watch a practical lesson and vice versa.

Also, have discussions with various staff of all experiences to see what they do or what advice they have. They may have been at that school longer than you and know the students better.

3.Is there anything you think is a must read to help you to know how to develop good relationships with pupils?

You need to read the school’s policy on rewards and sanctions. Use this to your advantage as dealing with behavioural issues in class, as well as rewarding positives, helps build relationships with students. It sets boundaries and also lets others know that your classroom is a safe space. Be consistent with your application of the system.

4.What challenges did you face as an ECT when trying to create a positive learning environment and how did you overcome this?

How students perceive your subject makes it very challenging. I am a PE teacher – not all students love PE.
Students’ previous experiences. They may have had a really good teacher and to begin with, they prefer their style of teaching. On the other hand, they may have disliked their previous teacher and therefore that may have made them disengaged in the subject.

To overcome these challenges I had to put the time in at the beginning; I had high expectations and would be consistent with them. You need to try new things and not be afraid to apologise when they go wrong (students appreciate the honesty).

Reward, reward and reward! Call home, email home, contact their tutor and ensure those ‘praise points’ are added on to the system – this will bring such positivity into your classroom. Also doing the same with the sanctions side of it so they know the line, but they also know that you will praise and that is your aim. I truly believe that your behaviour impacts a student and vice versa: if they do well, you will reward them; if they misbehave you will sanction. Which are they going to choose?

5.What support and guidance did you find useful that your mentor gave you to help you to be able to develop positive relationships with your pupils?

My mentor gave me the following advice:

Go and observe any ‘difficult’ students; how are they for other teachers?
Contact home about students to praise them. This is no doubt one of the most impactful things you can do as a teacher.
Don’t feel like you will be judged if you ask for help.
Learning all the names early on is critical. Seating plans need to be changed to suit your class as the environment can be easily changed if these aren’t thought through carefully.
If you are lucky enough to have your own classroom, lay it out so you can access all of the students easily so you can help them (easier for you and supportive for the student).
Have a laugh with your students. Incorporate humour in the lesson as it makes the classroom fun!
Final point, be prepared. Have everything you need for the lessons as students will see you as competent and reliable and will then trust you more.

My mentor also helped to build my own confidence so I could ask to be observed with a challenging class to get help on how to create those positive relationships without feeling the pressure.

6.How did you evidence how you maintain good relationships with pupils for your assessment?

I was able to evidence this through the following:

Being a PE teacher showing the amount of extra-curricular activity I was leading.
Observation write ups from teachers I observed.
Observations completed by my mentor and SLT of my own lessons highlighting this.
The reward system highlighting how many VIVO/Achievement points I was awarding within my lessons.
During meetings discussing the positive phone calls I was making with students.
Seating plans with justification of why I was moving them around.
Attending parents’ evenings to discuss the students’ attitudes and progress.
As a tutor, the activities I was completing to get to know students as a group and to support them through their time at school.

7.What’s your favourite sport?

Football

8.If you were in a TV programme which one would it be?

Riverdale

Ryan Smart
Head of Year 11, Northamptonshire

Opening quote 'Reward, reward and reward! Call home, email home, contact their tutor and ensure those ‘praise points’ are added on to the system - this will bring such positivity into your classroom'. Closing quote

Early Career Framework

The Early Career Framework outlines what early career teachers should learn about, as well as what they need to learn how to do. It is based on expert guidance and research evidence. The framework should be central to all ECTs’ development.

Click below to see the “Learn that…” and “Learn how to…” statements.

Learn that...

Establishing and reinforcing routines, including through positive reinforcement, can help create an effective learning environment.
A predictable and secure environment benefits all pupils, but is particularly valuable for pupils with special educational needs.
The ability to self-regulate one’s emotions affects pupils’ ability to learn, success in school and future lives.
Teachers can influence pupils’ resilience and beliefs about their ability to succeed, by ensuring all pupils have the opportunity to experience meaningful success.
Building effective relationships is easier when pupils believe that their feelings will be considered and understood.
Pupils are motivated by intrinsic factors (related to their identity and values) and extrinsic factors (related to reward).
Pupils’ investment in learning is also driven by their prior experiences and perceptions of success and failure.

Learn how to...

Develop a positive, predictable and safe environment for pupils, by:

Establishing a supportive and inclusive environment with a predictable system of reward and sanction in the classroom.
Working alongside colleagues as part of a wider system of behaviour management (e.g. recognising responsibilities and understanding the right to assistance and training from senior colleagues).
Giving manageable, specific and sequential instructions.
Checking pupils’ understanding of instructions before a task begins.
Using consistent language and non-verbal signals for common classroom directions.
Using early and least-intrusive interventions as an initial response to low level disruption.
Responding quickly to any behaviour or bullying that threatens emotional safety.

Establish effective routines and expectations, by:

Creating and explicitly teaching routines in line with the school ethos that maximise time for learning (e.g. setting and reinforcing expectations about key transition points).
Practising routines at the beginning of the school year.
Reinforcing routines (e.g. by articulating the link between time on task and success).

Build trusting relationships, by:

Liaising with parents, carers and colleagues to better understand pupils’ individual circumstances and how they can be supported to meet high academic and behavioural expectations.
Responding consistently to pupil behaviour.

Motivate pupils, by:

Supporting pupils to master challenging content, which builds towards long-term goals.
Providing opportunities for pupils to articulate their long-term goals and helping them to see how these are related to their success in school.
Helping pupils to journey from needing extrinsic motivation to being motivated to work intrinsically.

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