THE JOURNEY TO EXCELLENCE – LEARNING TOGETHER RESOURCE
Learning Together: Promoting Positive
Relationships
Achieving success for all learners
Journey to Excellence
Professional development pack topics have been chosen to help you plan a
journey through popular staff development themes. They provide “guided
tours” through some of the resources on The Journey to Excellence website as a
window onto excellent practice. Engaging with the associated activities will help
you to reflect on and develop your practice purposefully.
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This resource will be updated to reflect new and innovative
approaches as Curriculum for Excellence is developed.
Please email or comment in the box below any feedback on
the resource or suggestions for improvement to help keep the
resource up to date.
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“A central school-wide system for behaviour management clearly can
work very well but……it may be de-skilling for individual teachers who
simply apply the system rather than engage with the underlying issues.”
Preedy, M., Glatter, R. and Wise, C. (2004) Strategic Leadership and
Educational Improvement p. 210
Purpose of this activity
There is no single route to positive school and classroom climates or to
relationships that help all young people to learn and provide staff with
satisfying professional lives. This pack aims to help staff in all sectors to
reflect on their own situations and practice. It seeks to extend knowledge and
skills to identify and meet the needs of children and young people at risk of
missing out as a result of challenging behaviour. The pack focuses on how all
staff in schools can develop strong, professional relationships with children
and young people that encourage positive behaviour and learning. It also
suggests strategies that can be tried when relationships may have broken
down or are on the point of breaking down.
The pack draws on all sectors to illustrate possible approaches to re-engaging
and motivating children and young people who may be disaffected with the
learning process. It focuses on consistent and inclusive approaches to
behaviour management that helps all children and young people to develop
vital skills for



Learning
Work
Life
It encourages professional dialogue within establishments and with the wide
range of partners who work with staff to support young people and their
families. The pack provides staff at all levels with opportunities to:

reflect on how their practice encourages positive behaviour and helps
all young people to learn;

work and train collaboratively with parents and other partners in the
community and beyond;

develop and maintain a focus on excellence; and

contribute fully to dialogue and action that impacts positively on
behaviour and learning at classroom and whole school levels.
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Learning Outcomes
After completing this activity you will have

Reflected on the nature and causes of behaviour that interferes with
the learning of individuals and groups within your school and/or
classroom.

Identified those activities and events within your school and classroom
that promote the inclusion of all learners and, in particular, those who
display forms of challenging behaviour.

Considered and discussed opportunities to adjust the curriculum and
approaches to learning and teaching to promote positive attitudes
towards school and learning.

Reflected on professional attitudes and practice that successfully
promote positive behaviour and those that require further consideration
and development.

Liaised/worked with partners, including parents and fellow
professionals, to plan and provide support for young people and
families.

Increased your confidence/skill in dealing with potentially challenging
situations at classroom and whole school levels.
Who is this for?
This pack is designed to support the professional development of all staff,
teachers and support staff, working in all sectors. It provides opportunities for
school based staff to work and learn together with parents, community
partners and professionals from other agencies.
What will I/we need to work through this pack?
You will need access to the online resources that support The Journey to
Excellence including the improvement guides for each of the five key areas.
The pack refers to a large number of short movies that are part of the online
resources. When adapting this pack for your own use, you and your
colleagues should use the online summary for each movie to select the most
appropriate for your purpose. The reference for each movie indicates where
in the resource it can be located and its duration, e.g. “Excellent and Inclusive
Schools”. (Martyn Rouse) (People; 3:57).
Is this an individual activity or do I need to work with others?
The core activities enable you to work individually at a time and a place of
your choice. However open and honest discussion and dialogue often
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contribute to effective learning. As part of your learning, you may wish to
work more closely with colleagues or with professionals from other agencies.
For example, you may wish to invite a colleague to observe your practice and
provide you with feedback. Similarly, you may wish to observe a colleague
who you think does things differently or better. Working on the materials with
colleagues from different professional backgrounds can provide new and
helpful insights. At the end of the programme there will be an opportunity to
consider how it has changed and improved your practice.
How long will it take?
The pack is intended to be open ended and flexible. Some of the activities
are designed to be free standing. The materials should be adapted to better
meet the context of your school and the needs and levels of confidence of the
staff using them.
What is disruptive and challenging behaviour?
“There is a wide range of factors which affect a young person‟s behaviour,
and there is no one way of dealing with the complex problems which can
be faced by children, young people and their families. Children‟s
experiences and behaviour in school cannot be disassociated from all
other aspects of their lives, including within their families and
communities.”
Better Behaviour, Better Learning, The Discipline Task Group, 2001
There is no easy answer to this question. When we are dealing with human
relationships and responses there will be variations in individual perceptions
of what constitutes disruptive behaviour. Different adults will have different
tolerance levels. Children and young people find it difficult to anticipate what
is expected of them when threshold levels vary from class to class. The
situation can be more fraught when expectations and standards are not
clearly and consistently shared, discussed and put into practice.
An extensive Scottish Government survey of staff perceptions on behaviour in
Scottish schools, carried out in 2009, showed that pupil behaviour is
improving compared with 2006 findings. The survey suggests that most
teachers in Scotland are committed to the development of inclusive schools
and classrooms. This is reflected in the large majority of teachers – 89% in
primary and 85% per cent in secondary - who are confident or very confident
in their ability to deal with pupil indiscipline in the classroom.
However teachers and other staff are aware that there is a continuing need to
develop knowledge, skills and strategies to better identify and address
challenging behaviour that can disrupt the learning of individuals and whole
classes.
This can be an emotive issue for teachers, both on a personal and a
professional level. However many strategies and extensive systems of
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support now exist to help staff to deal confidently and successfully with
disruptive behaviour should it arise. Details and links to further sources of
support can be found at the end of this pack.
The starting point for all staff is to consider their own situations and the
effectiveness of their responses to such behaviours.
Section 1:
(a)
Personal Reflection
Consider this list of negative behaviours and occurrences, which most
staff encounter at some time. Use the table to estimate how often you
encounter such behaviours and occurrences. Use the blank spaces to
add any that do not appear on the list.
Behaviours/Occurrences
Late arrival to class
Eating in class
Homework not done
Lack of equipment
Off task/unproductive talk
Mobile phone interruptions
Refusal to work/cooperate
Interference with the work of others
Inappropriate answers/responses
Verbal abuse of other learners
Verbal abuse of staff
Repeated shouting out
Physical abuse of other learners
Physical abuse of staff
Damage to/theft of property
(b)
Daily
Frequency
Weekly Monthly Rarely
What are the three negative behaviours/occurrences that you
experience most frequently? What strategies have you tried so far to
address those behaviours/occurrences?
Three most common occurrences
and behaviours
Strategies tried so far
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(c)
How successful have your strategies been in providing a long-term
solution to those challenging occurrences and behaviours? Why have
some strategies been more successful than others?
At the end of this pack you will be asked to evaluate the effectiveness of your
strategies in reducing the negative impact on learning of those occurrences
and behaviours. It is important at this point to prepare a set of SMART targets
for yourself that will help you judge the success of your work and to consider
the evidence you can gather to demonstrate improvement.
Section 2:
“It all comes back to the classroom”
It is generally accepted that the answer to many forms of challenging
behaviour lies in the nature and quality of young people‟s learning
experiences and the relationships that exist in the school and in individual
classrooms.
Challenging behaviour is much less common where staff and learners enjoy
positive relationships based on mutual respect and consideration. These
strengths are supported and reinforced by a shared understanding and
acceptance of the school‟s values. Staff know learners as individuals and
respond to their differing personalities, circumstances and learning needs.
This leads to a positive learning climate in individual classrooms and in the
school in general.
(a)
Watch the movie
“Excellent and Inclusive Schools”. (Martyn Rouse) (People; 3:57).
(b)
Use the table to list what Martyn Rouse believes to be the main
characteristics of excellent and inclusive schools. After reflecting on
your own practice, list the things you do to make your classroom
„excellent‟ and „inclusive‟.
Characteristics of the excellent and
inclusive school
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My contributions to creating the
excellent and inclusive school and
classroom
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(c)
What can you do on your own or with others to further develop your
school/classroom as „excellent and inclusive‟?
(d)
Watch the following movies.
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(e)
A Nurturing Ethos (Culture and Ethos; 4.45) (St Timothy‟s Primary
School)
A Nurture Group (Culture and Ethos; 5.02) (Robert Smillie Primary
School)
Creating Whole School Values (Partnerships; 3.28) (Allan‟s Primary
School)
Creating an Ethos of Excellence (Culture and Ethos; 4.37) and An
Ethos for Learning (People; 2.59) (St Andrew‟s High School)
How do the schools that feature in the movies develop shared values
and an ethos that enables them to identify and address the needs and
circumstances of individual children and young people?
On reflection, is there anything in your practice that could be improved
through the application of any of the strategies and actions illustrated in
the movies?
(f)
“Motivation is the new discipline.”
Watch the movies from “People” section of the resource in which Alan
McLean talks about motivation.
“The motivating teacher” (3.00)
“The 3 As of motivation” (3.14)
“Motivational drivers” (4.24)
“Motivation is the new discipline” (3.15)
“About Motivation” (3.16)
(g)
Use the table below to summarise what Alan McLean identifies as the
personal and professional characteristics of staff who are able to
create an excellent and positive learning climate and those who
struggle to do so.
Staff able to create a positive and
excellent learning climate
Staff who struggle to create a
positive and excellent learning
climate
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(h)
How effective is your practice in creating a positive and excellent
learning climate that motivates all children and young people to learn?
(i)
Visit the LTScotland site on Positive Behaviours and access the
sections on “Restorative Practices” and “Framework for
Intervention/Staged Intervention”. Also watch the movie
Staged Intervention Strategies (Partnerships; 5.06) (St Luke‟s High
School)
Reflect, if possible with a colleague who knows your work, on how these
approaches could contribute to improvements in relationships and learning
in your classroom.
Relationships can often be developed and strengthened when children and
young people are able to reflect on their own behaviours and attitudes
towards learning and how those impact on others. Openness can be the key
and it can be beneficial to involve young people in discussions about the
mutual expectations of teachers and learners. Where relationships are
breaking down, or are about to break down, it can be very worthwhile for
teachers and pupils to consider and discuss why that should be the case.
Consider the ways a table, similar to the one below, to be completed by
children and young people and discussed with them, could help address the
three challenging behaviours you identified in Section 1.
a) In the space below write the things you do in class when you think you
are behaving and learning well.
a)
b) Now use the space below to write anything you do in class when you
think you are not behaving and learning well.
b)
c) How do you think the things you have listed in (a) and (b) affect - your
learning; the learning of other people in your class; your teacher and
other staff?
c)
d) In the space below try to explain why you sometimes behave and learn
well and at other times behave and learn less well.
d)
e) In the space below write down what you can do and what your teacher
can do to increase (a) and reduce (b).
e)
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(j)
Motivating, engaging and enthusing learners in the classroom
Now watch the movie
Autistic Spectrum Disorder and Inclusive Learning (Partnerships; 7.24)
(The Columba Unit, St Benedict‟s High School)
How do the staff in St Benedict‟s motivate, engage and enthuse the children
in their schools? To what extent can you employ similar strategies in your
school and classroom?
Alan McLean suggests that some aspects of disruption are natural and should
be expected as part of growing up. However problems can arise when a
„power struggle‟ takes place. When that happens staff can feel personally and
professionally insecure. Teachers who feel they are struggling to address
challenging behaviour can feel isolated. They may be reluctant to admit to
problems in case they are perceived as weak or inadequate. The least
productive outcome is where the member of staff and/or the young person
„paint themselves into a corner‟ and to back down entails ‟a loss of face‟. The
professional should anticipate that situation developing and always leave
room for manoeuvre. However where a standoff arises it may well require the
intervention of a third party to break the deadlock and facilitate a solution.
Even the most experienced staff may have difficulties with individuals or
groups of young people within classes. To openly discuss problems,
approaches and possible solutions with colleagues and pupils is not a
sign of weakness.
(k)
Revisit the three most common forms of disruptive behaviour that you
identified in Section 1. Have you

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
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talked over the issues with a colleague?
been observed by a colleague and received depersonalised
feedback?
observed a colleague working with the same individuals and/or
groups who are presenting you with challenging behaviour?
considered asking a colleague to be a mediator between you and
the young person/people to bring problems out into the open and
look for a shared solution?
involved pupils in discussing what you and they can do
differently/better to improve the situation?
Section 3:
Improving the Curriculum
Staff who successfully engage and motivate all young people appreciate the
contribution made by personalising the curriculum and approaches to
learning. By doing so they can address some of the experiences and
outcomes that contribute to mental and emotional wellbeing that lie at the
heart of Curriculum for Excellence.
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(a) Watch the following movies and extract the key messages from
each on the benefits for staff and learners arising from a more
personalised curriculum and more open and flexible approaches to
learning.
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Emotions and Learning (Learning and Teaching; 3.05) (Dylan
Williams)
Self- reflection (People; 4.28) (Ballikinrain School)
A Pupil Centred Curriculum (Culture and Ethos; 4.16) (Kersland
School)
Fostering Emotional Literacy (Culture and Ethos; 7.38) (Forthview
Primary School)
Overcoming Barriers to Learning (Culture and Ethos; 2.57) (Cathkin
High School)
Choices, Chances and Ambitions (Partnerships; 5.18) (Clydebank
High School)
Driven to Success: Three Towns Motor Project (Partnerships; 7.59)
(North Ayrshire)
The Way Forward (Partnerships; 9.39) (Lochend Community High
School and John Wheatley College)
Movie
(b)
Key message(s)
Using these movies and key messages as a stimulus, discuss with a
colleague the extent to which your school has an inclusive curriculum
that takes account of children‟s and young people‟s interests, talents,
abilities and learning styles. How does your school work with partners,
including parents to broaden the range of learning opportunities? How
do staff, including senior staff use the school improvement plan to
enrich the curriculum in ways that will motivate and enthuse all
learners?
Section 4:
Working with others – you are not alone
“In order to develop shared values and understanding of the needs of
children and young people, and to maximise the response to those needs,
partnership working involving parents/carers, education, social work,
health, voluntary agencies and other professions is essential.”
Better Behaviour, Better Learning, The Discipline Task Group, 2001
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“Co-ordinates support between agencies and schools wherever learning
takes place”.
“Ten standards for personal support in school” Happy, safe and achieving
their potential (HMIE, 2006)
Teaching can be a solitary and isolated activity and much of it still goes on
behind closed doors. Some staff can be reluctant to be open about difficulties
in addressing challenging behaviour. However, in recent years schools and
other professions have developed teams and structures that can provide
effective support. A team approach to addressing challenging behaviours and
situations can be particularly effective. Most schools have created teams that
assist in identifying the causes of disruptive behaviour and help staff arrive at
possible solutions within the classroom.
Schools, like individual members of staff, are not isolated and don‟t have to
address all their problems on their own. The schools that are most successful
at engaging and motivating all children and young people are often those that
seek support from a wide range of external partners and agencies.
Increasingly staff in schools are able to draw on the expertise of extended
professional teams that can include social workers, youth workers and
counsellors, health professionals, careers officers, police officers and
voluntary agencies.
(a)
The following diagram sets out the support mechanisms and structures
that exist in many schools.
Support for learning team
The leadership
team
Team around the class
Behaviour support
team
Multi-agency team
Consider each of the teams in turn.


(b)
How have you linked with each one to address the three most common
forms of disruptive behaviour that you experience? (See Section 1)
What can you do to improve the support you receive from the teams
individually or collectively?
Watch the following movies
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
Promoting Positive Behaviour (Partnerships; 3.14) (Clippens
School)
Staged Intervention Strategies (People; 5.16) (St Luke‟s High
School)

* Social, Emotional and Behavioural Needs (Barrhead High School;
3.05)
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* Creating Contexts for All (Barrhead High School; 4.05)
Supporting Emotional Needs (Culture and Ethos; 2.23) (Braehead
Primary School)
The Way Forward (Partnerships; 9.39) (Lochend Community High
School and John Wheatley College)
Effective Partnership Working Between School and Community
Learning Development; (Partnerships; 9.07) Balwearie High School
Partnership Working; (Partnerships; 8.33) Castlemilk High School
Shared Support for Improved Learning; (Partnerships; 5.53) Fife
Educational Psychological Service
* On LTScotland site “Supporting Children‟s Learning: Inclusion”
(c)
Use the table to record the partners with whom the schools have
engaged to meet the learning, social and emotional needs of identified
groups of young people who may be experiencing difficulty. Is the
work of all partners focused on improving children‟s and young
people‟s learning?
Use the other parts of the table to describe the support provided by
each partner and to reflect how similar partnerships could be helpful to
you.
Partner
Support provided
Potential in your school
Partnerships can be particularly helpful when identifying the most
appropriate provision for learners who may require more specialist
support, including that provided off-site.
(d)
Evidence from HMIE inspection reports suggests that some support
staff have more negative perceptions of children‟s and young people‟s
behaviour. How can teachers and support staff in your school work
more closely to discuss any negative perceptions and to plan and
review strategies to address and improve challenging behaviour?
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(e)
In small schools, particularly in rural areas, it can be more difficult to
access the range of partners and other agencies available to larger city
schools. What options are open to staff in smaller schools who find it
more difficult to access regular and consistent support?
Schools that have been most successful in minimising challenging
behaviour have usually been very effective at linking with parents and
creating a synergy between school and home.
(f)
Watch the following movies
 Promoting Partnership working in Special Schools (Partnerships; 3.14)
(Abercorn School).
 Parents: Getting Parents Involved (Partnerships; 2.44) (Campsie View
School)
How do you/your school involve parents in addressing challenging behaviour?
What can be done to engage your parents more fully?
What do you/your school do to engage with “hard to reach parents”,
particularly those whose children may be exhibiting challenging behaviour?
Section 5:
(a)
The Excellent and Inclusive School
Read the following extract from the Improvement Guide “Promoting
positive relationships within a learning, caring and inclusive school
community.”
Using highlighter pens apply the following key
Green –We do this confidently and consistently
Yellow – we sometimes do this, but not consistently and systematically
Red – We rarely do this
A school is excellent to the extent that,
“All staff, learners and parents have high expectations of standards of
behaviour. These standards are clear, unambiguous and shared by all.
Children and young people demonstrate self-discipline in their interactions
with staff and with each other and are protective and respectful of one
another. They show understanding and empathy towards each other. Positive
behaviour approaches are applied consistently. Appropriate behaviour is
reinforced and praised and inappropriate behaviour is always challenged and
discussed. Adults working in, or associated with the school uphold its
standards and expectations. Learners and their families receive support
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through the provision of effective behaviour support programmes. Staff
understand factors which affect the motivation of children and young people,
and take action to improve and encourage an enthusiasm for learning and
positive behaviour.”
(b)
Use Post-it notes to jot down things that you or the school do or could
do to promote positive relationships within a learning, caring and
inclusive school community.
(If you are doing this as part of a group activity, exchange post-its to
share good practice and to identify areas where there is agreement
that improvement is desirable.)
Things that I/we do consistently to encourage consistently high standards and
expectations
Things that I/we do sometimes to encourage consistently high standards and
expectations
Things that we would like to do to encourage consistently high standards and
expectations
(c)
Discuss and plan with a colleague how to take forward one or two of
the things that you would like to do to encourage consistently high
standards and expectations.
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Section 7: Moving Things Forward
(a)
Watch the following movie
 “A Community of Co-Researchers” (Partnerships; 11.17)
(Renfrewshire Educational Psychological services)
(b)
Revisit the three behaviours/occurrences that you experience most
frequently (Section 1). Drawing on the content of this pack, prepare an
action plan, within a realistic timescale, to address each of the three
behaviours/occurrences. Your action plan should take account of the
following;
 Your school and classroom values and ethos
 Classroom relationships
 The contributions of strategies such as restorative practices and
staged intervention
 Motivating and enthusing learners
 Personalisation of the curriculum and learning approaches
 Working with partners in and out of school e.g. “team around the
class/child
 Judging impact
Section 7:
Reviewing Progress/Where Do I Go From Here?
(a)
Revisit the list of negative behaviours and occurrences that you
compiled in Section1 of this pack, in particular, the three that you
encountered most frequently. List the strategies that you have
employed to reduce the impact of those behaviours and occurrences
on learning and on your ability to do your job effectively.
(b)
How successful have you been in achieving the SMART targets that
you set at the beginning of this pack? How do you know?
(c)
How do you intend to build on what you have achieved through
engagement with this pack?
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Promoting Positive Relationships – Further Sources of Support
Improving Scottish Education 2005-2008 (2009)
http://www.hmie.gov.uk/documents/publication/ise09.html
How good is our school? HMIE (2007)
http://www.HMIE.gov.uk
A Climate for Learning (2005)
http://www.hmie.gov.uk/documents/publication/rbblr.html
Developing Successful Learners in Nurturing Schools: The Impact of
Nurture Groups in Primary Schools (2009)
http://www.nurturegroups.org/data/files/hmie_scotland_2009_full_report
.pdf
Case Studies of Good Practice in improving the Climate for Learning
(2006)
http://www.hmie.gov.uk/documents/publication/hmie_csgp.html
Scottish Government
Behaviour in Scottish Schools, 2009
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2009/11/20101438/0
Learning Teaching Scotland
Positive behaviour website
http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/supportinglearners/positivelearningenviron
ments/positivebehaviour/index.asp
respectme – Scotland‟s anti-bullying service
http://www.respectme.org.uk/
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