Authors

Jarlath O’Brien

Jarlath O’Brien is director of school improvement for a multi-academy trust of special schools in the South of England.

Having started his career as a physics teacher, Jarlath went on to become a special-school headteacher and is the author of Better Behaviour: a guide for teachers.

All articles by Jarlath O’Brien
5 reads to support your behaviour management
Ahead of the new academic year, Jarlath O’Brien shares his reading list to help both teachers and leaders with behaviour management
General
28 July 2025
Behaviour management in schools: recommended reading
5 steps to building better relationships for behaviour
How can teachers build the relationships that will support their behaviour management? Jarlath O’Brien outlines five key principles
General
4 July 2025
Hand reaching out to help
Why ‘high expectations’ aren’t enough to fix behaviour
It’s no use schools having ‘high expectations’ if leaders don’t take the time to define what they look like, or make sure everyone upholds them, writes Jarlath O’Brien
General
13 May 2025
high expectations, behaviour, woman receiving huge parcel
How I learned about the dangers of a no-excuses approach
We should be wary of the increasing popularity of a ‘complexity reduction’ approach to school life, argues Jarlath O’Brien
General
4 March 2025
How I learned about the dangers of a no-excuses approach
Could we be wrong about behaviour getting worse?
The prevailing sense is that behaviour has nosedived in recent years, but how can we be sure that’s the case, asks Jarlath O’Brien
General
9 February 2025
Could we be wrong about behaviour getting worse?
5 questions to ask to keep staff safe from violence
It’s an uncomfortable reality that attacks against school staff do happen, writes Jarlath O’Brien, but there are steps that leaders can take to reduce the risk
General
5 November 2024
5 questions to ask to keep staff safe from violence