The principles underpinning each of these training packs for primary and secondary schools are those of “positive behaviour”. The packs have been produced by working groups of practising teachers and other professionals, whose aim is not to exhort schools to take on board innovation, but to encourage them to evaluate their practices and explore alternatives in order to improve management and relationships within the school community.

Developing a Behaviour Policy and Putting it into Practice outlines the development from understanding the principles and aims of “positive behaviour” through the planning stages, implementation, review and evaluation.

A three-tier approach is advocated, which works through whole-school level, groups of pupils and individual pupils, thereby minimising the need for interventions. There is a wealth of clear, well-structured materials here for staff training, the only reservation being the quality of printing in this particular pack, which could cause photocopying difficulties.

Say No to Bullying addresses the issue from awareness raising to the preparation, implementation and evaluation of an anti-bullying policy. It includes examples of work done in schools and outlines activities to train staff in anti-bullying strategies, incident management and working with parents. The pack includes a wide range of well-produced resources, including activities for curriculum work.

Managing the Difficult to Manage deals with classroom management strategies. It is intended to enable the teacher to show pupils what behaviour is required and to help the teacher deal with inappropriate behaviour. The emphasis is on “taking a fundamentally positive and systematic approach that is aimed at maximising the chances of good behaviour occurring”. The materials include useful examples of ways of handling contracts and exclusions.

Gender on the Agenda focuses on raising awareness of the gender issues which may affect a pupil’s achievement and behaviour, and challenges the teacher’s hidden assumptions, values and expectations as well as the stereotyped ideas and practices of pupils and teachers alike.

The Lunch Pack is aimed at training lunchtime staff working in primary and middle schools. It is concerned not only with the management of lunchtimes and supporting staff, but offers strategies, ideas and materials which can be used to develop and maintain a high-quality social learning environment. Responsibilities, supervision checklists, strategies for coping with children causing difficulties, games, are all included.

Together with Parents considers ways in which a school can communicate to parents details of its behaviour policy, convey the values and attitudes which underline it and move towards a mutual respect and understanding. Helpful, practical activities are suggested to enable schools to review and clarify existing arrangements.

These packs are excellent value and offer a real service to school communities. The project team has published other packs and also offers training and consultation. Long may its work continue.

Elizabeth Dobson is deputy head at King Edward VI School, Morpeth, Northumberland.