Ooh I have one of those, only he's now 13 and about to go into year 9.
This year's parents evening and report were the worst yet. I have tried and tried since reception to sort it out. Sometimes it works for a week or so then its back to normal.
The main problem seems to be, for us anyway, as he is bright he is achieving what he should, with only a half arsed effort at best. Altho a pain, his behaviour isn't bad enough for exclusion or anything so the schools just sort of let them get on with it.
Now he's older this year I have been really worried. So I contacted the head of year and had him put on report. Only a slight imrpovement. so at his school you have to collect their reports personally, with the child and go through them with the form tutor. I got the head of year to come too who gave him the biggest bollocking ever. The type of thing I have done over and over for years but the schools have never done.
She told him he has til oct to sort it out and if things are still bad, he will go to the deputy head and he will be excluded.
He was MORTIFIED. and all of a sudden we have improvement. I don't know how long it will last but the effort is definitely there, and he is provng to himself that he can work hard.
I realised that all through primary, altho he got told off, the teachers always liked him so were very positive etc to him. This one tore strips off him which was horrid to watch, but I feel if similar had been done in reception (but in a more age appropriate way) he would never have got as bad.
You can punish them to within an inch of their lives at home (I don't mean physically BTW) but for these type of boys they need to hear it from someone else in authority.
I would seek out the scariest, dominant teacher you can, give them the go ahead andget them to do similar. They need to make it clear there are no excuses etc.
I really feel for you, we are in the same boat and have no idea if this improvement will last.
I do feel slightly vindicated by the fact that my other boys are angels!