Low level disruptive and poor behaviour affects pupil learning and damages students’ life chances.
And it could be worse this autumn.
Ofsted previously said that pupils could lose up to an hour of learning each day due to disruptive behaviour. But what will this mean for education’s “new normal“? This blog post explains.
What is low level disruptive behaviour?
Chatting; not working; not focusing on the task set; sitting doing nothing; uniform incorrect; rolling eyes at teachers or other impolite gestures or behaviours; lack of homework; calling out; demanding attention without regard for other students’ needs; refusing or delaying activity via an argument etc
Low level disruption in schools is a category of behaviour in the classroom which hinders the learning of the pupil and other children in the classroom.
According to Ofsted: “It is not because pupils’ safety is at risk where low-level disruption is prevalent, but because this type of behaviour has a detrimental impact on the life chances of too many pupils. It also drives away hard-working teachers from the profession.”
Causes of disruptive behaviour
A YouGov Poll (2014) conducted by Ofsted found these common causes of disruptive behaviour:
- Disturbing other children (38%)
- Calling out (35%)
- Not getting on with work (31%)
- Fidgeting or fiddling with equipment (23%)
- Not having the correct equipment (19%)
- Purposely making noise to gain attention (19%)
- Answering back or questioning instructions (14%)
- Using mobile devices (11%)
- Swinging on chairs (11%)
Former Ofsted Chief Inspector, Sir Michael Wilshaw, said: “If low level disruption and poor behaviour isn’t tackled it becomes more serious and exclusions start to rise.”
How prominent is low level behaviour?
According to Ofsted:
Many teachers have come to accept some low-level disruption as a part of everyday life in the classroom.
One fifth of the teachers surveyed indicated that they ignored low-level disruption and just ‘tried to carry on’. However, this behaviour disturbs the learning of the perpetrators as well as that of others. According to the teachers themselves, an average secondary school might contain five or six teachers who lose at least 10 minutes of learning time per lesson as they struggle to maintain good order. In primary schools, this averages out at nearly one teacher in every school. Furthermore, while a large majority of the teachers surveyed said they feel confident in dealing with this kind of behaviour effectively, about one in 20 said they did not. This represents around three teachers in the average secondary school who are diverted from teaching by what – for them – is a daily challenge to maintain the necessary standards of discipline. This places them under unnecessary pressure.
What will the new form of low level disruptive and poor behaviour look like?
Issues in schools this autumn may include:
- More small talk from pupils catching up after long break & away from school expectations
- Small arguments & bullying which may have started online during lockdown
- Answering teachers back when they query mask wearing
These issues and others may result in more isolation cases and exclusions. Find out more here.
How EDClass can help with low level disruptive and poor behaviour
EDClass has a proven record of supporting students unsuitable for mainstream classrooms.
Our online platform provides access to 11,000 lessons – including those dedicated to improving behaviour – and is ideal for students in isolation or short-term or permanently excluded due to behavioural issues.
The system allows you to track attendance as well as the progress each student is making in each lesson.
Safeguarding is an essential of the system: with eyes-on learning, alert mechanisms, questionnaires and the opportunity to raise concerns with teachers available.
Click here for a free demonstration from one of our highly trained team.
For more information call 01909 568 338.
