Promoting Positive Behaviour In Schools

23rd February 2024

Education Committee Members have strongly endorsed the Council's approach to addressing behaviour in schools through informed guidance and the promotion of positive relationships.

The Council’s Promoting Positive Relationships guidance pulls together best practice, draws on national guidance, and is well researched in terms of being evidence based.

A recent Scottish Government report on Behaviour in Scottish Schools highlighted that, while the majority of pupils were said to behave well, there has been a general deterioration in behaviour in both primary and secondary schools in Scotland since 2016.

In most cases, this behaviour emerges from low level requirements such as children not following instructions rather than significant behaviour issues.

Evidence has highlighted that children who have good social skills tend to have higher levels of attainment and achievement. Research also shows that if children and young people have high levels of physical and emotional wellbeing, they will have the resilience to both cope well with adversity and to achieve to the best of their ability.

This is why the programmes being run in Highland schools are aimed at helping children and young people learn core skills, like being solution oriented and nurturing emotional literacy. For example, many schools across Highland are participants in UNICEF’s Rights Respecting Schools Award which embeds the key values of creating a safe environment to learn where children are respected and have space to thrive.

Chair of Highland Council’s Education Committee, Cllr John Finlayson, said: "It is very important that we have a whole school approach to positive relationships and wellbeing, and this is at the core of what we do.

“While we are all aware of the challenges facing many of our schools, evidence remains strong that these overarching whole system approaches are essential to support positive relationships within the context of a school or early years setting.

“Targeted supports from specialist services, are complemented by programmes such as emotional coaching, parenting support, Growing2gether, Seasons4growth, and nurture bases, that can be offered to support children, young people and their families, where greater levels of support and more targeted interventions are required to address individual needs of the child. As an authority, we also await the latest advice from the Scottish Government which we hope will further support the positive interventions already in place."

Education Committee Members also noted the outcome of the national survey and the actions taken to address concerns in schools and the training and support available to school staff.