Creating Safer Schools: The Role of a Positive Behaviour Culture  

How CPI’s 360° training approach supports schools in creating safety, improving behaviour and leading to lasting cultural change.

8 October 2024

Creating a safe and supportive environment in schools is essential for children and young people as well as staff to be successful. But what does it truly mean to have a “safe” school?

Safety extends beyond physical security to include emotional, psychological, and relational aspects, all of which contribute to a positive school culture. CPI’s comprehensive approach to behaviour management recognises this need and is designed to help schools build a safer, more positive environment.

Through our 360° behaviour training approach, CPI supports schools on every step of their behaviour journey—acting not just as a training provider but as a long-term partner in creating sustainable cultural change.

Why a Positive Behaviour Culture Matters

Schools face numerous challenges when it comes to managing behaviour, and these can have a profound impact on both learning and teaching. For children and young people to truly engage, they need to feel safe. This is where CPI’s approach comes in, underpinned by the understanding that safety—whether physical, emotional, or relational—is a fundamental need.

Drawing from theories like Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, we know that when students feel secure, they are more open to learning and less likely to exhibit challenging behaviours.

CPI believes that creating a safer school environment leads directly to better behaviour outcomes. This concept is central to our 360° Education Behaviour Training approach, which looks at every aspect of school culture, from leadership to staff skills, ensuring that behaviour change is embedded at every level.

The 360° Approach: Supporting Schools on Their Behaviour Journey

CPI’s 360° Behaviour Training approach offers schools a comprehensive, multi-layered solution to behaviour management. This approach doesn’t just stop at providing one-off training sessions. Instead, we work closely with schools to analyse their current culture through Behaviour Audits and Health Checks, which help identify areas of strength and opportunities for improvement.

From there, we collaborate with school leaders to develop tailored training programmes that meet the specific needs of the school.

Customer Success

Scoil Mhuire Abbeyside Primary School boosted staff confidence and overall safety.

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This journey is part of CPI’s commitment to being a long-term partner in a school’s behaviour change project.

More Than Just Physical Safety: Addressing Emotional and Relational Security

Safety in schools extends far beyond physical protection. Emotional and relational safety are equally crucial in shaping a positive school culture. Children and young people as well as staff need to feel emotionally supported and respected to contribute positively to their environment.

CPI’s Hearts and Minds Inset is designed to help to  address these dimensions of safety. This programme engages staff on an emotional and psychological level, creating a commitment to behaviour change.

One satisfied customer described this INSET as “the most fun, enjoyable, and thought-provoking session we’ve ever had in 20+ years working in a school environment.”

By creating an environment where everyone feels emotionally secure, CPI helps schools lay the groundwork for a culture that prioritises emotional well-being alongside academic success.

The Link Between Safety and Behaviour Improvement

A safer school environment doesn’t just make children and young people, or staff feel better; it leads to tangible improvements in behaviour. When students feel secure—physically, emotionally, and relationally—they are less likely to act out, and learning becomes more productive. Conversely, feelings of insecurity or stress often lead to disruptive behaviour, further hindering academic progress.

CPI’s Classroom Culture Programme is a key element of our 360° approach, providing educators with the strategies and routines they need to embed  calm, consistent behaviour. By implementing  these practices, schools can create a structured, safe environment where both students and staff can thrive.

“The programme provided exactly what we hoped for—hints, tips, and strategies at the forefront of our practice to re-evaluate our school’s vision, values, and aims.”

Barry Drennan, Headteacher, Portlethen Academy

CPI’s Long-Term Commitment to Partnering with Schools

At the heart of CPI’s training philosophy is a commitment to long-term partnership. Behaviour change doesn’t happen overnight, and CPI understands that real, meaningful change requires ongoing support. We don’t just provide one-off training sessions; instead, we stay engaged with schools through the entire journey of behaviour transformation.

CPI’s Train-the-Trainer Model is a key component of this partnership. By training a school’s own staff to become certified instructors, we enable schools to deliver the behaviour management training internally, combined with our ongoing external support when required.  This empowers schools to maintain and evolve their behaviour strategies as needed, reducing reliance on external providers while ensuring the core principles remain intact.

This demonstrates how CPI can become a true partner in the long-term success of each school.

By partnering with schools over the long term, CPI ensures that positive behaviour culture is not just an initiative but a lasting, integral part of the school environment.

The Long-Term Benefits for Schools and Staff

The benefits of embedding a positive behaviour culture are both immediate and long-lasting.

  • For children and young people, a safer school environment means better learning outcomes and a greater sense of belonging.
  • For staff, it reduces the burden of managing disruptive behaviour, allowing them to focus more on teaching and less on crisis management.

Through CPI’s 360° behaviour training approach, schools are equipped to create these long-term benefits. Our programmes, including Classroom Culture, Verbal Intervention, Safety Intervention and Breaking Up Fights, provide schools with the skills and support they need to make positive behaviour culture a permanent fixture.

CPI 360 Education Training Programmes Suite

By staying engaged with schools as a long-term partner, CPI ensures that the changes we help initiate are sustainable and deeply embedded in the school’s fabric.

This means that even as staff turnover or new challenges arise, schools are well-prepared to maintain a safe and positive environment.

Creating a safer school environment—one that addresses physical, emotional, and relational safety—is key to building  a positive behaviour culture. CPI’s 360° training approach ensures that schools are supported on every step of this journey, from initial assessment to ongoing training and development.

By partnering with schools over the long term, CPI ensures that positive behaviour culture is not just an initiative but a lasting, integral part of the school environment.

If you’re ready to embark on this journey towards a safer, more positive school culture, reach out for a free consultation or explore CPI’s 360° Training Suite today.

Do you want to know more about our 360° Behaviour Training for Schools?

Watch the recording of our webinar: CPI 360° Behaviour Training Showcase.

 

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