
Behaviour Management Strategies for Primary Teachers
Whether you’re a Early Career Teacher or have decades of experience working with primary pupils, behaviour management is always a challenge. This is particularly the case at the start of the school year when a fresh crop of pupils arrives in your classroom.
For teachers, effective behaviour management underpins almost every teaching and learning success. Indeed, primary schools with behaviour judgements ranked ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’ have better outcomes in maths and English at KS2 than schools with 'satisfactory' or 'inadequate' behaviour judgements.
While Ofsted reports show that English schools are largely orderly, well-behaved places, even low-level disruption in schools can be disastrous for both students and teachers. This makes it essential that teachers and teaching assistants have strategies up their sleeves to ensure behavioural standards are maintained. Let's look at four of the best approaches:
1. Use the CASPER approach
The CASPER approach is a handy tool to help you remember key steps and ideas when approaching and dealing with behaviour management. It can be used before taking any action:
- Calm: Appear calm, even if you don’t feel it. Take a breath and stop to think
- Assertive: Maintain your authority and remember you’re in charge. Maintain eye contact
- Status preservation: Reprimand pupils in private to remove them from their peer group
- Empathy: Try to understand how the pupil is feeling. Avoid asking challenging questions
- Respect: Always show children respect, even if they are being disrespectful. Reinforce your expectations by modelling appropriate behaviour
2. Establish a countdown routine
Show pupils you’re prepared to give a little by using a countdown system to call for attention.
Rather than abruptly stopping classroom conversations, instead, count down from 10 to give pupils a chance to finish what they’re doing and be ready for the next instruction.
This is a polite and fair way to establish silence and attention, and acknowledges that some children may need a few seconds to get ready. Pupils may join in on the count down and you can use praise to reinforce the importance of adhering to this rule.
3. Reward and reprimand
There’s a reason why the carrot-and-stick approach is used in industries and professions the world over: it works.
Research shows that education is not exempt from this: schools with good standards of behaviour use a balance of rewards and sanctions to motivate and penalise pupils.
Before implementing any new reward or penalty systems, check with your school to ensure your approach is consistent and in line with policy.
Detentions, removal from classroom and exclusion from social or ‘treat’ activities can all be used to deter students from inappropriate or unruly behaviour, while those who demonstrate good behaviour can be rewarded with praise, stickers, small treats and opportunities – for example, handing out resources to the classroom or acting as a teacher ‘helper’ during a lesson.
4. Set clear expectations
Pupils have less of a chance to misbehave if they know exactly what is and isn’t acceptable in the classroom.
In order to create a well-managed, structured classroom environment that caters to a range of different learners and attention spans, you must put in the effort to establish rules, guidelines and expectations.
Not only should you map out ‘house rules’, you should also be clear on the repercussions of not following the rules – and the rewards for those pupils who are consistently well behaved. A good set of primary classroom rules may look like the below:
- We listen to each other and only have one person talking at a time
- We are quiet by the end of the 10 second countdown
- We put our hands up before speaking
- We don’t touch each other or each other’s things unless we are invited to
- We take care of our belongings and the classroom belongings
- We use kind words to each other
- We finish our work on time
- We say ‘please’ and ‘thank you’
- We keep our classroom tidy
- We always try our best
Find your next primary teacher job
At Teaching Personnel, we help teachers of all levels achieve their career ambitions. Find your next primary teacher job now or contact us to see how we can help.
Sign up to posts
Related jobs
Salary
£28,000 - 38,810 per year
Location free text
Holbeach
Job Type
Full Time
Salary
£20,000 - £29,999
£30,000 - £39,999
£100 - £199 per day
£200 - £299 per day
Sector
KS2 - Year 4
Location
Yorkshire and the Humber
Description
KS2 Teacher | Wisbech AreaAre you enthusiastic, creative and have a passion for working with children?Do you have a positive, can-do-attitude?Teaching Personnel are working with an excellent Primary S
Reference
JC20230ECT2023A
Expiry Date
DD07YY
Author
Daisy BiamontiAuthor
Daisy BiamontiSalary
£500 - 700 per week
Location free text
Newcastle upon Tyne
Job Type
Full Time
Salary
£100 - £199 per day
Sector
KS2 - Year 4
Location
Newcastle upon Tyne
Description
Teaching Personnel are looking to recruit an experience Primary school Teacher to cover a year 4 class in a school in Newcastle. The role is a long term position and is ready to start ASAP.About the r
Reference
bsteach606
Expiry Date
DD07YY
Author
Josh DaillyAuthor
Josh DaillySalary
£28,000 - 38,690 per year
Location free text
Salford
Job Type
Full Time
Salary
£20,000 - £29,999
£30,000 - £39,999
Sector
KS2 - Year 3
Location
Greater Manchester
Description
The Headteacher and Governing Body of a client Primary School in Urmston are keen to appoint a Year 3 Teacher to join their KS2 team full time starting from September. The school are looking for a ded
Reference
Y3 IC
Expiry Date
DD07YY
Author
Patrick ToftAuthor
Patrick ToftSalary
£120 - 210 per day
Location free text
Leeds
Job Type
Full Time
Salary
£100 - £199 per day
£200 - £299 per day
Sector
KS2 - Year 5
Location
West Yorkshire
Description
Do you have experience working in the Primary education sector?Do you have a passion for education and inspiring young people?Are you looking for a role based in the Leeds area?We have a role availabl
Reference
ks2 t ls7 6/6
Expiry Date
DD07YY
Author
Abi CorriganAuthor
Abi CorriganSalary
£28,000 - 38,810 per year
Location free text
King's Lynn
Job Type
Full Time
Salary
Less than £20,000
£20,000 - £29,999
£100 - £199 per day
Sector
KS2 - Year 4
Location
Kings Lynn
Description
We are looking for a Fully Qualified Primary Teacher to begin work at an OFSTED Graded ‘Good’ Primary school in the heart of Kings Lynn.The role is full time and is set to begin when schools return in
Reference
JC20150FQT2023A
Expiry Date
DD07YY
Author
Daisy BiamontiAuthor
Daisy BiamontiSalary
£143 - 180 per day
Location free text
Burnley
Job Type
Full Time
Salary
£100 - £199 per day
Sector
KS1 - Year 2
Location
Burnley
Description
Are you looking for a new job opportunity?We are a ‘good’ primary school in the Burnley area looking for a qualified Key Stage 1 Teacher. The ideal candidate must have a good work ethic, be positive,
Reference
KS1 Teach bb10 06/06
Expiry Date
DD07YY
Author
Holly MadeleyAuthor
Holly MadeleySalary
£100 - 125 per day
Location free text
Poulton-le-Fylde
Job Type
Full Time
Salary
£100 - £199 per day
Sector
KS2 - Year 4
Location
Lancashire
Description
‘OUTSTANDING’ KS2 ECT required for a FULL-TIME role starting in September 2023Teaching Personnel are working alongside a ‘GOOD’ primary school in Poulton-Le-Fylde, Lancashire (FY6). The school is recr
Reference
SJECT88381
Expiry Date
DD07YY
Author
Sasha JacksonAuthor
Sasha JacksonSalary
£140 - 200 per day
Location free text
East Grinstead
Job Type
Part Time
Salary
£100 - £199 per day
Sector
KS2 - Year 4
Location
East Grinstead
Description
Teaching Personnel are working with a beautiful two form entry school based in Crawley looking for a year 4 teacher Maternity cover, 3 days per week the role is paid to scale as it involves planning h
Reference
Y4 PT EG SEPT
Expiry Date
DD07YY
Author
Jack KnowlesAuthor
Jack KnowlesSalary
£28,000 - 43,685 per year
Location free text
Winsford
Job Type
Full Time
Salary
£20,000 - £29,999
£30,000 - £39,999
£40,000 - £49,999
Sector
KS1 - Year 1
Location
Cheshire
Description
Are you a qualified Primary Teacher looking for a new role within an inclusive and welcoming Winsford primary school?Teaching Personnel are working alongside a Winsford primary school who require a pa
Reference
148
Expiry Date
DD07YY
Salary
£140 - 200 per day
Location free text
Crawley
Job Type
Full Time
Salary
£100 - £199 per day
Sector
KS2 - Year 5
Location
West Sussex
Description
Teaching Personnel are working with a beautiful two form entry school based in Crawley looking for a year 5 teacher Maternity cover, the role is paid to scale as it involves planning however 1/2 of PP
Reference
Y5 Teacher FT Sept
Expiry Date
DD07YY
Author
Jack KnowlesAuthor
Jack KnowlesRelated posts

Teaser
Education NewsContent Type
TP-PostsPublish date
DD06YY
Summary
There are around 244,000 teaching assistants (TAs) working in schools across the UK. The number of TAs has trebled since the year 2000. Today, teaching assistants play a crucial role in supporting stu
.jpg)
Teaser
Primary EducationContent Type
TP-PostsPublish date
DD06YY
Summary
While it is true that “accidents will happen”, keeping children safe and preventing as many accidents as possible should be a concern of every school. By raising awareness of risk sensitively, schools

by
Scott Owen
.jpg)
Teaser
Tips and AdviceContent Type
TP-PostsPublish date
DD05YY
Summary
In the last three years, the likelihood of young people having mental health problems has increased by 50%. According to a report by The Health Foundation, one in six children aged six to 16 in Englan

by
Scott Owen

Teaser
EducatorsContent Type
TP-PostsPublish date
DD05YY
Summary
In 2023, it is impossible to watch the news without an item discussing the threats posed and potential benefits offered to society by Artificial Intelligence (AI). Most people, by now, will have t

by
Scott Owen

Teaser
Primary EducationContent Type
TP-PostsPublish date
DD05YY
Summary
There is little doubt that school leaders across the country are facing a recruitment and retention crisis. It is a simple yet frustrating equation; fewer people are entering the workforce than ar

by
Scott Owen

Teaser
Tips and AdviceContent Type
TP-PostsPublish date
DD04YY
Summary
Teacher recruitment is a critical aspect of any school's success. Finding the right teachers and support staff to lead and inspire the next generation of students is no easy task, and it is one th

by
Scott Owen

Teaser
EducatorsContent Type
TP-PostsPublish date
DD03YY
Summary
When you worked as a teacher, you may have looked forward to retirement, as it meant having more time for leisurely activities or spending more time with loved ones. However, the novelty of retire

by
Scott Owen

Teaser
EducatorsContent Type
TP-PostsPublish date
DD03YY
Summary
Teaching Personnel is proud to announce a new partnership with the Chartered College of Teaching, the leading professional body for teachers and teaching assistants. This partnership will provide

by
Scott Owen
.jpg)
Teaser
Secondary EducationContent Type
TP-PostsPublish date
DD02YY
Summary
The current teacher shortage is set to be one of the main challenges for the UK in 2023. The number of graduates entering the profession is decreasing, while the number of teachers leaving has in

by
Scott Owen

Teaser
EducatorsContent Type
TP-PostsPublish date
DD02YY
Summary
Teaching can be an enriching and fulfilling profession. If you want to make a difference in someone's life, there is no better job than to teach. Like doctors, nurses and vets, teaching is more than

by
Scott Owen
Register with us
for a choice of classroom roles
Register today
Recent job