Teaching social behaviour in schools – what can governments do?

Abstract

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore the role of government and policy making in supporting schools to develop work on social behaviour.Design/methodology/approachThe paper is written by a sitting member of Parliament in the UK who is himself supporting work in schools in his constituency of Nottingham North on social behaviour, in order to clarify the role of government and it to do more in this emerging area.FindingsThe paper finds that work on social behaviour in school is urgently needed to address social deprivation and social exclusion. There is a strong role for government in this process. This work needs to be addressed with the same degree of commitment and systematic thinking as has been applied to numeracy and literacy teaching in schools, not least because social behaviour underpins and supports academic learning.Practical implicationsThe paper implies that policy makers need to consider the importance of work on social behaviour in schools and their role in supporting it.Originality/valueThe paper is written by a sitting member of Parliament, addressing his fellow politicians, as well as other social policy makers, to tackle an issue of great social and educational significance – and as such is unusual if not unique.