Uncovering the secrets of peaceful schools

Solutions sometimes come from looking at cases that defy the odds. Take schools that serve low-income communities, for example. The children who attend them are often exposed to violence, substance abuse, and other troubles, which, in turn, lead to classroom behavior problems.

But some schools with 'at risk' populations are relatively peaceful places where children can focus on learning about the world without worrying about their own safety. The question is: what are these schools doing that distinguishes them from others that serve similar communities?

The UK Department for Education and Skills (DfES), lately reborn as the Department for Children, Families and Schools, looked at schools that were defying the odds and created a 'menu' of the strategies that appeared to help reduce behavior problems. Then they asked 34 local authorities with the highest crime rates in the country (and comprising 700 schools) to choose from the menu and provided funds to implement a trial. Called the Behaviour Improvement Programme (BIP), the effort, began in 2002.

To assess whether BIP made a difference an evaluation team from the Institute of Education at the University of London compared the progress of ten schools, selected to represent the range involved in BIP, with others with similar demographics but who were not involved in the scheme. Collected over a two-year period, their findings are newly-reported in Child and Adolescent Mental Health [1].

The researchers found that BIP slightly reduced absence rates but that the improvement in attendance did not appear to enhance average achievement levels. The evidence also suggested that BIP helped to reduce the number and duration of exclusions.

The schools showing the greatest improvement turned out to be those that implemented school-wide, prevention-oriented programs and relied on strong leadership and clear communication among students and staff. By contrast, the ones that performed poorly tended to focus on individual problem students and went ahead without clear communications and management structures.

One of the most popular strategies on the DfES menu introduced Behaviour and Education Support Teams (BESTs). BESTs include a variety of professionals from the fields of health, social care and education who are stationed in schools to support vulnerable young people and their families.

The evaluators found that BESTs brought with them a range of useful new services and appeared to be particularly helpful to children with multiple needs. They also helped develop policies and practices to improve behavior across the whole student body.

• Click here for the full report of the 2005 Behaviour Improvement Programme evaluation [2]

Summary of “Evaluation of Behavioural Management in Schools: A Review of the Behaviour Improvement Programme and the Role of Behaviour and Education Support Teams” by Susan Hallam, Child and Adolescent Mental Health 12 (3), (2007), p. 106–112.