§ Mr. Pawseyasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what action he proposes to take in relation to disruptive behaviour by younger pupils in primary schools in the light of the paper by Lawrence and Steed in "Educational Studies."
§ Mrs. RumboldThe greater authority which the Education (No. 2) Act 1986 will confer on governing 725W bodies and headteachers in relation to the conduct of schools will do much to secure better standards of discipline. In addition Her Majesty's inspectorate of schools is conducting a survey of good practice in the matter of behaviour and discipline which will be published in the near future.
My right hon. Friend is concerned about disruptive behaviour wherever it occurs. However the many visits to schools which the inspectorate is constantly making show that most primary—and secondary—schools are well ordered communities and that the overwhelming majority of pupils are well behaved for most of the time. Evidence from the inspectorate does not support the suggestion that the onset of disruptive behaviour in primary schools is getting earlier. In comparison, the studies made by Lawrence and Steed were limited in scope, sample size and duration; and I do not believe that they are a sufficient basis on which to reach any firm conclusion.