Behaviour in New Zealand schools has been worse than in other countries during the past two years, and behaviour at Te Kura o Tititea Mt Aspiring College (MAC) is part of the trend.

A recent Education Review Office (ERO) report on student behaviour in New Zealand classrooms says teachers and principals have seen a rise in talking inappropriately in class, distracting others, refusing to follow instructions, damaging or taking property, and physically

harming others.

The Wānaka App has been told of a shift in students' behaviour and attitude over the past few years, with “entitled and rude” behaviour becoming a problem for MAC staff.

MAC principal Nicola Jacobsen said the Upper Clutha community is growing, and with that comes a greater diversity of values and needs.

“Over the past two years, we have seen some change in student behaviour; there are more complex needs (mental health, learning needs and behavioural needs) and this is highlighted in the ERO report,” she said.

“We believe the primary reason for the change in student behaviour has come about as a result of the pandemic, and the uncertainty and stress associated with that situation,” she said, adding that it has resulted in “challenging behaviours” from some students.

MAC recently closed some student toilets (accessed from outside) after ongoing damage caused by “a small number of students”, Nicola said.

“We decided to close some of the affected toilets and have a staff member on duty outside the open toilets to help monitor their use.”

Classroom behaviour has worsened - report 

The ERO report, ‘Good Practice Report: Behaviour in our Classrooms’, surveyed 1,557 teachers and 547 principals; drew from site visits and online sessions with 10 schools, a literature review and statistical analysis of Ministry of Education data from 2022-2023.

It found that behaviour in New Zealand schools has been worse than in other countries in the past two years, with New Zealand teens reporting classroom disruption at higher rates than students in other OECD countries.

Half the teachers surveyed said disruptive behaviour has become worse in the past two years and a quarter of principals have seen students physically harm others, and damage or take property, at least every day.

Three-quarters of teachers said disruptive behaviour affects students' progress and two-thirds said it has a big impact on students' enjoyment of school.

ERO Education Evaluation Centre head Ruth Shinoda told RNZ the review office was very concerned about the situation: "It's been bad in New Zealand for a long time, but it's got worse over the last two years.”

She said teachers were now raising concerns, saying behaviour was getting in the way of teaching. 

Ruth said there was no single cause for the increase in poor behaviour, which was also happening in other countries.

"It's a combination of technology, stresses on kids and of course some of the anxieties that have come after Covid and that plays out in behaviour.”

Read more: Rising levels of violence and disruption in the classroom: 'It's getting in the way of teaching'

What now?

The report said schools need more accountability and clearer expectations, greater efforts to prevent bad behaviour, more support and training for teachers, and effective consequences for badly-behaved children.

Nicola said MAC puts students' wellbeing at the centre of its educational approach and staff work hard “to build a safe, caring and inclusive environment”.

She said the school values define expectations about behaviour [those values are creating strong relationships that foster a unique sense of belonging and support for each other; respect for each other and the environment; acting with integrity and pride of themselves and the school; and understanding and acceptance of each other].

MAC uses a Positive Behaviour for Learning (PB4L) framework designed to improve the behaviour and wellbeing of students through tools that support positive behaviours, and a restorative approach model. Nicola said that model “focuses on building and maintaining positive, respectful relationships across the school community and leads to individuals taking responsibility for their behaviour”.

MAC also has a pastoral care team to support students, which includes: junior and senior deans, a behavioural psychologist, specialist guidance counsellors, and youth workers from Kahu Youth and 24-7, along with support from the Ministry of Education (behaviour psychologists, resource learning and behaviour teachers).

Nicola said recent initiatives that are helping to support student wellbeing and positive behaviour include: a stronger mobile phone policy, the positive impact of student-led committees, the tuakana teina buddy programme, and the peer support programme.

Meanwhile education minister Erica Stanford said she would follow up with the Ministry of Education on how the report's recommendations (including better training for teachers, a national approach to behaviour and having clear guidance on having effective consequences for poor behaviour) could be speedily progressed.