It is often a highly aggressive system with tally charts in the staffroom of ‘how many children I have made cry’, lashings of punishment and adult hostility that is just plain abusive. The idea that behaviour management is simply about learning a set of techniques that emerge from a teacher's 'toolkit' is a dangerous one. Let me suggest five pillars of practice that should underpin every behaviour policy in every school: Consistent, calm, adult behaviour.

Emotionally mature adults are flexible enough to change, to be present in the toughest moments and to judge slowly. Imagine that there had never been a day when anyone lost their focus, not a routine out of place or a door that is unwelcoming. You can find those beacons of hope in the communities in most poverty, and you also find that the best independent schools do exactly the same thing, such as, ‘This is the Harrow way,’ or whatever it might be. In addition to working directly with schools, Paul has advised the Department for Education on the teachers standards, given evidence to the Education Select Committee and done extensive work with the Ministry of Justice on behaviour and restraint in youth custody.Would the learners be more punctual to lessons, the adults feel more supported and smaller people feel safer? At that moment three members of staff came out of the teacher lounge, modelling perfect fantastic walking!

His interests include music, theatre and books, and he has a passion for hill walking in Scotland with his partner and, whenever possible, their beloved miniature cockapoo, Nellie. Of course, you could choose to apply the same principle of consistency to a more aggressive and punitive system.Throughout the book both class teachers and school leaders will find indispensable advice about how to involve all staff in developing a whole school ethos built on kindness, empathy and understanding. Do you remember yesterday/ last week when you helped me tidy up/led the group/gave me that excellent homework?