Traffic Light Systems in school

[NickyF33]

My daughter has recently started reception in September, can people please share there experiences of traffic light behaviour systems and how they feel about them. Thanks

I don't have views one way or another, but lots of schools do use that, or similar systems; children mostly enjoy them I think, unless they are always naughty, so always on red.

Hi there,

We're moving this thread over to our Primary Education topic.

Works well for ours, so have adopted it at home. Kids have to be pretty bad to get on red - sent to head's office at school I'm told.

Our school used to do this. It 'worked' for the majority of children in exactly the same way that asking them to behave themselves would.

It didn't 'work' for the children that it is implemented to support ie those who are often on 'amber' or 'red', especially for Y4 or so and above. Going on to 'red' can be seen as a status symbol and actually exacerbate bad behaviour. Also, there's nowhere to go upwards if you're always on 'green'.

Our school has moved to the Dojo system, which recognises and reinforces good behaviour, rather than focusing on poor behaviour. Don't know what impact it's having, but I do think that praising good behaviour is a better philosophy overall.

We have traffic lights at our school. Everyone starts on green. If there is repeated 'unacceptable' behaviour, they move to yellow, but we are then immediately looking for reasons to move them back up. If the behaviour returns to 'expected', then back up they go.

If the poor choices continue, then they move to red. There will be a talk about why the behaviour was unacceptable and what we can do to change it. That talk will ofter take place during break/lunch or after school. There will be a note home. Again, we do look to move up as soon as we can if/when behaviour improves. We start again on green in the afternoon.

Moving back up is done with lots of praise, so that the change in behaviour is seen to be noted. "I'm moving Freddie back to green now. Well done Freddie for stopping calling out and for paying such good attention now. Thank you."

There is also a Gold level for Excellent behaviour - for acts of kindness, really good resisting of distractions, etc. That's also a note home

There a a few (very few) for whom Red is seen a a badge of honour. Once that situation becomes clear, they have their own plan developed and are not on the main traffic light system at all.

This works alongside other rewards of house points for effort, plus various weekly certaificates for showiing the school values, etc.

Don't the children who have their own plan developed rather than being on the traffic light system stand out as the 'naughty ones'?

Not as 'naughty' at all. It's about giving the right support and having realistic expectations. They are all individuals, after all.

Quite. I guess it depends on how behaviour systems are used, although drawing attention to bad behaviour as a starter doesn't make sense to me.