Behaviour in schools: teachers' biggest challenges and how to overcome them
In late 2025, we conducted a survey of teachers across the world for our 2026 Global Wellbeing Report. The majority of teachers we surveyed identified student behaviour as a source of stress, and some even pointed to it as a factor in them wanting to leave teaching.
Behaviour is clearly an issue for teachers – but what are the biggest behaviour challenges, and what can leaders do to help?
The biggest behaviour challenges in schools
Most teachers told us that the biggest behavioural challenge they face is low-level disruption. This suggests smaller but frequent behaviour issues pose a bigger challenge to most teachers than larger infractions.
However, this was followed by disrespect and defiance as the second and third most common issues teachers reported – so more severe behavioural challenges evidently are a problem, even if little-and-often issues are more common.
Almost a third also identified technology misuse as a behaviour challenge. Technology, specifically mobile phones, is something that’s being increasingly recognised as an issue for schools, with many having implemented phone bans.
However, there were also positive findings reported on behaviour. While student behaviour is a cause of stress for most teachers, most also told us they can usually or always maintain control in the classroom.
Barriers to positive behaviour
We’ve established that poor student behaviour is a problem – but what did teachers identify as causing it?
The most commonly identified barriers to better behaviour were:
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Student motivation
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Lack of support
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Lack of time
A lack of support and a lack of teacher time to address behaviour concerns link back to a common theme of our findings – that workload is unmanageable.
It seems that part of the issue in improving behaviour is that teachers simply lack the time to put in the amount of work that would be needed.
Overcoming behaviour challenges
For school leaders, overcoming the challenges associated with poor behaviour doesn’t just mean improving student behaviour in itself. It also means supporting teachers to address the challenges they face because of poor behaviour.
Behaviour policy
An effective behaviour policy can improve behaviour in a school by making expectations clear, setting consistent boundaries and creating consistency in rule enforcement.
As well as addressing poor behaviour in itself, implementing a behaviour policy ensures your teachers and staff feel supported to manage behavioural concerns consistently.
Make admin easier
Teachers told us their lack of time to work on improving behaviour was a major challenge.
Of the teachers we surveyed, only 4% manage to complete their work within contracted hours. That's a huge proportion of teachers working overtime – and the majority of these teachers are using this time to complete administrative tasks.
Behaviour was specifically cited as a heavy administrative task, so it’s key to address this to properly support your staff.
Using software like Tes Class Charts reduces the administrative burden associated with behaviour, with simple tools for giving rewards, managing issues and optimising seating plans, so teachers can spend less time on admin. teachers can spend less time on admin.
With the majority of teachers citing workload as their biggest stressor, reducing the time spent on administrative tasks has big benefits for teacher wellbeing.
Addressing a lack of support
Lack of support is in itself an issue – so consider how you can make teachers feel supported.
This could be:
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Opening conversations around challenges teachers are facing
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Recognising the impact classroom challenges can have on wellbeing
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Listening to concerns and escalating them where appropriate
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Being present with teachers, both physically and mentally
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Respecting and trusting your teachers’ expertise – as a leader, your teachers spend more time in the classroom than you do
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Undertaking wellbeing surveys to understand where support is needed – and implementing a wellbeing policy to commit to improvements
Teacher wellbeing in 2026
Our 2026 Global Wellbeing Report is based on a survey of over 2,800 educators and explores areas such as workload, behaviour, inclusion and job progression.
To support our teachers, we have to listen to them. Understanding the challenges they face is the first step to creating schools where everyone can learn and thrive.
This blog article is based on data from a global teacher wellbeing survey Tes conducted in December 2025.