School leaders and teachers need more support: insights from Behaviour Hubs applications data

The UK government’s latest national behaviour survey report highlights the impact that misbehaviour is having on England’s mainstream primary and secondary schools. In May 2023, for example, 76% of teachers reported that misbehaviour had stopped or interrupted teaching in at least some lessons in the past week – up from 64% in June 2022 – and that seven out of every 30 minutes of lesson time were lost because of it. Furthermore, 73% of school leaders and teachers said that pupil misbehaviour had had a negative impact on their health and wellbeing.

Funded by the UK Department for Education, Behaviour Hubs offers a tailored one-year (or two years for MATs) support package to primary and secondary schools, maintained special schools, and alternative provisions (APs) across England. The partner schools and MATs who were accepted onto the programme were paired with carefully selected lead schools and MATs with exemplary track records in behaviour management and culture. The lead settings help the partners to identify opportunities for creating an effective and sustainable behaviour culture, while developing policies and practices that lead to better outcomes for students.

We received over 1,400 applications over the course of the programme. Applicants were asked why they wanted to participate; what behavioural challenges they were facing; what behaviour-related changes had already been made (and how successful they were); and what improvements were needed most urgently. In total, 17% of secondary schools in England applied to join the programme, as did 11% of AP settings, 6% of special schools, and 4% of primary schools.

Changes in the most frequently mentioned behaviour challenges

Overall, 21% of applications mentioned behaviour challenges that were broadly categorised as ‘low-level disruption’; this consistently ranked as the top concern in 2021, 2022 and 2023. ‘Misbehaviour from a small minority of students’ also remained a persistent issue throughout. However, interestingly, there were notable shifts in some of the other most frequently mentioned behaviour challenges over the years: ‘Defiance’ rose from the eighth most mentioned in 2021 to second place in 2023, while ‘poor behaviour during unstructured time’ rose from the 17th most mentioned behaviour challenge in 2021, to third in 2023.

There was also a considerable increase over time in the proportion of applications citing behaviour challenges among students with special education needs and disabilities (SEND), mental health issues, and other additional needs. This rose from 15% of the challenges mentioned in 2021 to 28% in 2023. This aligns with data from the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) school panel, which reported that in March 2024, 24% of primary school pupils and 29% in secondary schools required additional mental health support. These alarming statistics reflect a national trend of increasing depth and complexity in student needs, and a corresponding demand for more support for the school leaders and teachers on the frontline.

A sense of ‘firefighting’ in England’s schools

Most (86% of) schools reported in their applications that they had taken steps to address pupil behaviour challenges in the past. This included a wide variety of strategies, policies, techniques, logistical adjustments, and routine changes. Two thirds of the schools had achieved some level of success, although many reported difficulties in fully embedding these approaches in the face of persistent and complex challenges, especially those that emerged from the disruptions brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic. Teachers expressed a sense of constant ‘firefighting’, ‘frustration’ and ‘exhaustion’, and used terms such as ‘extreme’ and ‘struggling’. This illustrates the scale of the misbehaviour problem, and how hard it is for schools to resolve these challenges alone.

Furthermore, nearly 20% of secondary schools that applied to join Behaviour Hubs expressed concern about high pupil exclusion rates. This was linked to the loss of structure and routine during the pandemic, and concerns about safeguarding and deteriorating home environments. Many noted the need for more support with children with unmet needs, and the demand for alternatives to exclusion from school.

School teachers and leaders need more support

The Behaviour Hubs application data provides a detailed snapshot of the behavioural challenges that schools in England are increasingly facing. It shows that behaviour management remains a critical issue, and highlights the ongoing need for targeted support. There is a clear demand for structured, consistent, expert-led initiatives like the Behaviour Hubs programme, to help schools build sustainable behaviour cultures that can address day-to-day disruptions and student needs, while improving educational outcomes for all.

To find out more about the structure and impact of Behaviour Hubs, along with our recommendations for policymakers, read the latest research report.