DfE’s “Behaviour Hubs” initiative still well short of its target impact on up to 700 schools, FOI response indicates

A flagship government programme to improve pupil behaviour has so far only been completed by 166 individual schools and two multi-academy trusts –seemingly far short as yet of its promised impact on “up to 700” schools by next year.

The Department for Education’s Behaviour Hubs initiative was first flagged up by ministers nearly five years ago, billed as being backed with £10 million of funding. But so far only around half of that has been allocated, a DfE Freedom of Information response to this website has indicated.

The response may raise questions about the scale and likely impact of the programme, which was highlighted in the DfE’s Teacher Recruitment and Retention Strategy back in January 2019.

Behaviour Hubs nevertheless appear to have had an impact on some schools where they have so far been implemented, with changes which have generated controversy with parent groups having been linked in two cases back to the DfE policy. However, details as to where it has been implemented continue to prove elusive, with the DfE having confirmed that it is to keep secret the full list of schools which have taken part.

A full evaluation of the programme is not due until 2025 – meaning that it will be more than six years after the policy’s unveiling before a detailed assessment can be seen of its impact.