A recent survey conducted by the National Education Union revealed that 66% of state-school teachers in England believe that student behavior negatively affects learning in their classrooms regularly or all the time. In contrast, only 8% of teachers in private schools indicated that behavior rarely or never impacts lessons.
Teachers in state schools reported that behavior disruptions occur frequently, with 40% stating it affects lessons often or regularly, and 26% noting it happens all the time. These figures are consistent with last year’s data but significantly higher compared to 2022 and 2020.
Primary schools and specialized educational settings experienced more disruptions, with 70% of primary school teachers and 69% of special school teachers acknowledging the impact of behavior issues.
The study also found that teachers in high deprivation areas were more likely to observe negative impacts of student behavior on learning outcomes. Teachers attributed challenging behaviors to factors such as a lack of resources, understaffing, unmet special educational needs, and the influence of social media.
Additionally, teachers pointed out that rigid and overwhelming curricula, especially those not suited to all students, contribute to classroom disruptions. Despite this, only 43% of teachers feel supported by their school’s behavior policies, while 34% feel unsupported.
The NEU emphasized the disparity between state and private schools, highlighting the influence of resources, class sizes, and pupil-to-adult ratios on behavior management. State schools typically have larger class sizes compared to private schools, with primary schools averaging 26.4 pupils per class and secondary schools 22.5.
Daniel Kebede, the NEU’s general secretary, emphasized the need for effective behavior management policies in schools to support teachers in addressing challenging behaviors. The NEU conducted an online survey of 10,715 teacher members and 3,274 support staff members to gather these insights.
