Schools - improving relationships and behaviour: progress report 2025

Conclusion

This first progress report sets out activities that have been delivered or progressed as part of the implementation of the relationships and behaviour in schools action plan.

The current evidence base on relationships and behaviour in schools has identified a number of challenges in our schools relating to relationships and behaviour, particularly post-COVID-19. While the trends in behaviour cannot be wholly explained by the pandemic, it has accelerated existing challenges and added additional areas of concern, such as attendance.

The breadth of the action plan reflects the scale of the challenge. While each of the 20 actions are at varying stages of development, some activity has been taken forward across all 20 actions over the lifespan of this report.

We recognise there are concerns about the speed of progress, and the difference that the action plan is making to relationships and behaviour in practice and therefore the experiences of young people and staff in our schools. Within the action plan we were clear that given the complexities of factors underpinning behaviour, improving relationships and behaviour in schools will not be a short-term task. The activity that has been undertaken to date has focused on responding to areas of emerging concern, and on those areas where evidence suggests there is a need to clarify approaches and support consistency. Whilst it is recognised that this work is required quickly, it is important also that the actions once completed will make a difference to those in schools and education authorities. Therefore, there may be times when work will be delayed slightly in order to improve the benefit to those working directly with children and young people.

In phase 2, we will publish the outputs from the sub-groups on consequences and risk assessment. We will begin reviews of other areas of our core relationships and behaviour policy, including the national attendance and exclusion guidance. There will also be a focus on underpinning guidance with more practical support to assist schools and local authorities to implement approaches locally. We will also commission the next Behaviour in Scottish Schools research to ensure further evidence is available by the end of the action plan period in 2027 to track progress and inform next steps.

The next Progress Report will be published in March 2026. SAGRABIS continues to meet quarterly to monitor progress.