Is behaviour in English schools really improving, or just better reported?
The DfE’s national survey shows rising confidence in behaviour management – but also sharp contrasts between students, teachers and school leaders’ views.
What the behaviour data tells us about schools
The Department for Education’s latest National Behaviour Survey (May 2025) reveals 18 key statistics that offer a complex view of behaviour in English schools.
Over 1,000 school leaders and 1,000 teachers provided the data (n = 1,025 and n = 1,010 respectively), exposing major perception gaps and provides useful benchmarks.
This report collates perspectives from students (Years 7–13), teachers, school leaders and parents, and the above numbers represent about 32 per cent of the entire teaching profession.
The full set of 18 statistics highlights a persistent issue with classroom disruption and contrasting views across school roles; see the summary below.
Classroom teachers report high levels of disruption
This matters because national headlines often fail to reflect the lived classroom experience.
While school leaders appear increasingly positive, classroom teachers still report high levels of disruption and stress. The average of 7 minutes lost per 30-minute lesson equates to nearly a quarter of every lesson wasted.
National Figures: A Behaviour Snapshot
- 62% — Students said misbehaviour disrupted learning in some lessons (down from 73%).
- 7 minutes — Disruption occurs in every 30-minute lesson (unchanged from 2024).
- 73% — Teachers report misbehaviour affects their health and wellbeing (down from 78%).
- 88% — School leaders rate behaviour as very good or good (up from 72%).
- 65% — Teachers agree that behaviour is good or very good (up from 46%).
- 80% — Students say they feel safe at school most days (up from 73%).
- 70% — Students feel motivated to learn (down from 75%).
- 69% — Students feel they belong at school (up from 57%).
- 21% — Students reported being bullied in the last year (down from 24%).
- 86% — Parents said schools communicate with them about behaviour.
- 18% — Students say rules are applied fairly all the time (unchanged from last year).
- 23% — Teachers agree that rules are always fairly applied (up from 19%).
- 25% — KS5 students feel rules are fairly applied, compared to 14% in KS4.
- 84% — Parents support the behaviour rules at their child’s school.
- 95% — Teachers say they are confident managing behaviour (up from 91%).
- 32% — Teachers feel ‘very confident’ managing behaviour, compared to 64% of leaders.
- 59% — Teachers feel supported by senior leadership on behaviour (up from 47%).
- 53% — Leaders require phones to be handed in or secured (up from 46%).
Transparency and consistency
Perceptions of fairness and consistency in rule enforcement remain low among students, especially in key stage 4.
School and college leaders can use these 18 figures as a diagnostic tool. Conduct internal surveys and compare the findings against these national benchmarks. Prioritise professional learning for behaviour strategies, particularly around fairness, mobile phone policy and student safety. Teachers must be given time and space to co-develop behaviour policies that work in context.
Reflection questions for schools:
- What is the current average lesson disruption figure in your school?
- Are you better off since your behaviour policy was updated?
- How well aligned are SLT and classroom teachers in their perception of behaviour?
- Is the mobile phone policy enforced consistently across year groups?
- How do students’ feelings of belonging and motivation compare to these national figures?
- Are teachers confident and supported in managing behaviour?
- How is staff wellbeing monitored in relation to student behaviour?
- What does your parent engagement around behaviour look like?
- How is bullying addressed and measured across your school or college?
- What improvements can be made to rule enforcement and fairness?
Teachers can use these figures to reflect on school policy, classroom practice and leadership support structures. The challenge lies not just in implementing policy, but in aligning perception across the school community.
Download the full paper to explore all 18 headline figures.
