A National Behaviour Toolkit Will Be Developed for Schools in England
The UK Department for Education has signed a new contract for the development of a national behaviour toolkit to be used in all mainstream schools. The contract was awarded to the education services provider Etio, formerly known as Tribal Group, and the program is expected to continue until July 2029, with the option of a three-year extension if needed. As part of the process launched by the government last October, the goal was to conduct a practice review and prepare a comprehensive toolkit for all educational institutions in England serving students aged 5 to 16.
The toolkit, which has been under development since March, is intended to help schools manage pupil behaviour more effectively, reduce preventable suspensions, and strengthen anti-bullying and prevention efforts. It is stated that the toolkit, which is planned to be made available to all schools following an independent evaluation process, will be structured around the themes of overarching principles, behaviour and suspensions, and anti-bullying.
This development comes at a time when concerns raised by education unions about violent behaviour in schools are increasingly on the agenda. Recently, two major teachers’ unions called for stronger national action to reduce pupil violence in schools. It was also reported that suspensions and exclusions reached record levels during the 2023–2024 academic year. Officials argue that the new toolkit will contribute to the creation of more consistent, inclusive, and evidence-based behaviour policies in schools.,