Education Minister Paul Givan has today announced a review of behaviour policy and practice across schools in Northern Ireland.
Tom Bennett, a leading expert in behaviour management, has been appointed to provide independent advice, drawing on international best practice to help develop new, evidence-based guidance for schools.
Mr Bennett is a widely recognised expert in behaviour management and education policy. He is a Professor of School Behaviour at Academica University, Amsterdam. Tom’s experience includes:
- Serving as Independent Behaviour Advisor to the Department for Education in England
- Leading the Behaviour Hubs programme to support schools
The review aims to strengthen how behaviour is managed across the education system and will inform the development of a new Department of Education Behaviour Policy, as well as updated, practical guidance for schools.
Announcing the review, Paul Givan said: “Creating safe, calm and purposeful learning environments is essential to ensuring that every child and young person can succeed. I recognise that increasingly complex behaviour is placing significant pressure on our teachers and school leaders, adding to workload and taking valuable time away from teaching and learning.
“This review will help ensure our approach to behaviour is clear, consistent and underpinned by the best available evidence, while giving teachers the practical support they need in the classroom.
“Tom Bennett brings a wealth of experience from across education systems internationally and his expertise will be invaluable as we move forward.”
The review will examine the Department’s existing behaviour policy and will consider how it can be strengthened to better support schools in managing increasingly complex behavioural challenges. It will include engagement with schools and stakeholders across the sector, a formal call for evidence and school visits. The work will also identify effective practice and scalable approaches to behaviour management, with findings directly informing updated policy and guidance for schools.
Tom Bennett is a former teacher and his experience includes serving as Independent Behaviour Adviser to the Department for Education in England.
The review will begin in summer 2026 and is expected to conclude in January 2027, when updated policy and guidance will be published.
