John was invited to Downing Street with a group of 14 headteachers for a seminar with the Prime Minister. The approach offers pupils simple choices and defuses confrontation by being fair and being seen to be fair. It lets them see how they are behaving, offering praise and noting disruptive behaviour. Rules are generally reduced to a short list - at Ruffwood the five rules for classroom behaviour cover punctuality, showing respect and working hard. The system works best when it is adapted to local circumstances and can fail if it is copied without taking these into account.
Teachers generally make a note on the board of a child's name if they have broken a rule.
A series of ticks on the board for bad behaviour leads to a yellow card and ultimately a red card and they have to leave the lesson. Most draw back before getting into serious trouble. These pupils get rewarded. Their behaviour is included in their record of achievement. Very well behaved children can even get to go on trips or get gift vouchers.