Managing Behaviour at Lunchtime

Description

Discover how a primary school tackled the poor behaviour of Key Stage 2 pupils at breaktimes by reorganising the dining hall and revitalising playground activities.

When headteacher Stephen Dand joined Fonthill Primary School in Bristol four years ago he noticed that pupils were behaving poorly in the dinner hall and in the playground.

Conflicts were spilling over into the classroom and disrupting afternoon lessons. The school decided to make lunchtime part of the curriculum, with clear rules for the children and rewards for good behaviour.

A large container full of scrap material for the children to play with, known as the play pod, is at the heart of the transformations. The materials encourage pupils to share and communicate with each other.

The teachers behind the project say behaviour has been dramatically improved and that the approach allows pupils to develop greater emotional resilience.

Part of the series: Sharing Your Great Practice