Hon Hekia Parata
Minister of Education

14 August 2014

Positive behaviour improves outcomes for students

A programme focused on improving behaviour in schools is having a positive impact in classrooms across New Zealand, Education Minister Hekia Parata says.

The findings, released today, are from an ongoing evaluation into the Positive Behaviour for Learning School-Wide (PB4L) programme. The evaluation is being carried out by the New Zealand Council for Educational Research (NZCER).

“More than 500 schools around the country are involved in the PB4L programme, which helps schools to improve student wellbeing and increase educational achievement,” Ms Parata says.

“I’m pleased that the first phase of this evaluation shows how effective the programme is.”

Teachers from schools reported that the initiative has contributed to:
• a more respectful and inclusive school culture,
• improved approaches to addressing behaviour incidents,
• improved school safety for staff and students,
• a decrease in behaviour referrals for major incidents,
• and improved students’ ability to self-reflect and manage their behaviour.

“These preliminary findings show the programme is improving students’ chances to achieve at school and beyond. I congratulate schools, families and communities for their hard work, energy and enthusiasm in making PB4L a success,” Ms Parata says.

“We want to see five out of five kids succeed and PB4L shows this is achievable in every school. That’s why the Government has invested $145 million into the PB4L programme since it was introduced in 2009.”

“As we announced last month, student stand-downs, suspensions and exclusions have reached 14-year lows. This Government has a strong focus on supporting positive behaviour and giving schools the skills to deal with difficult behaviour, and this is paying off.”

The evaluation’s conclusions will be provided in a final report due March 2015.
For more information visit: www.educationcounts.govt.nz/pb4l

ENDS

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