Behaviour – Students

Resources

Positive Classroom Management Strategies

The Positive Classroom Management Strategies (PCMS) are a set of evidence-informed instructional practices that can be applied in any classroom setting to create safer, more purposeful learning environments that support student learning and wellbeing.

Based on the best evidence available, the department has developed the following resources to support teachers and principals in understanding and implementing the PCMSs:

• Getting Started Guide (PDF): this guide provides advice for teachers wishing to adopt PCMSs in their daily work. The introductory resource provides step-by-step advice for educators wishing to adopt PCMSs in their instructional approach. The resource also provides additional advice for school leaders considering whole-school implementation of the practices.
• Placemat (PDF): the placemat has been developed to break down the practices into an easily accessible resource with hyperlinks to the step-by-step process.
• Animations of each PCMS: an animation of each strategy provides an introduction to each of the practices and their benefits.

For further information about the PCMSs please visit the dedicated resource website or contact us at:

Website: Positive Classroom Management Strategies
Phone: 03 7022 1383
Email: positive.behaviour@education.vic.gov.au

School-wide Positive Behaviour Support

SWPBS is flexible and suitable for all school types including primary, secondary and specialist.

This document provides school leaders with an overview of SWPBS and practical guidance for its implementation:

• Information for schools (PDF, 3.5MB)
• Information for schools – accessible version (DOCX, 3.5MB)

This document outlines the 7 essential features a school commits to implementing as part of the SWPBS framework:

• Essential features of SWPBS (PDF, 79KB)
• Essential features of SWPBS – accessible version (DOCX, 142KB)

Apply to join SWPBS

Applications for the 2026 intake open in Term 3, 2025. Schools must attend one of the briefing sessions to be eligible to join the initiative. Schools that would like to join must then complete an application form and submit by Friday 5 September 2025.

Register for a SWPBS briefing session (staff login is required):

• Tuesday 29 July 2025 3:45 pm to 4:45 pm
• Wednesday 6 August 2025 3:45 pm to 4:45 pm
• Thursday 14 August 2025 3:45 pm to 4:45 pm

To apply to join SWPBS, complete the 2026 application to join SWPBS (DOCX) and submit via email to positive.behaviour@education.vic.gov.au

Schools joining SWPBS will commence implementation in Term 1, 2026.

For further information or support please contact:

School-Wide Positive Behaviour Support Unit
Phone: 03 7022 1383
Email: positive.behaviour@education.vic.gov.au
Website: School-wide Positive Behaviour Support

Respond to challenging behaviour

• Responding to students who bite (DOCX) – a resource for schools on managing biting at school
• Responding to students who spit (DOCX) – a resource for schools on managing intentional spitting at or on others at school
• Supporting students with disabilities to not touch staff face coverings (DOCX) – a resource for schools on teaching students with disabilities about face coverings
• Teaching behavioural expectations for others wearing face coverings (DOCX) – a resource for schools on teaching students about behaviour expectations around those wearing face coverings
• Map of key mental health and wellbeing support (PDF)
• Map of key mental health and wellbeing support (DOCX)

Behaviour Support Plan

• Behaviour Support Plan (DOCX)

Functional behaviour assessment and gathering information

• Antecedent, behaviour and consequence (ABC) scatter plot data templates (DOCX)
• ABC and scatter plot data (PDF)

Behaviour incidents and emergencies

• Respond to online incidents of inappropriate behaviour (PDF)
• Guide for removing inappropriate content from a website or social media (PDF)
• Guide for department employees and teachers who are involved in an online incident (PDF)
• Schools and cybersafety

Identifying students with behavioural and emotional support needs

The student check-in resource is a screening tool teachers can use to efficiently identify students who may be at risk of social, emotional, and academic behaviours which interfere with their learning. This research-validated tool supplements other processes schools have in place to identify students who may require support:

• Student check-in resource (XLSX) (staff login required)
• Student check-in resource (PDF) (staff login required)

Detailed information and instructions for use are provided in the following resources:

• Introduction to the student check-in resource (PDF) (staff login required)
• Student check in resource FAQs (DOCX) (for school leaders) (staff login required)

Challenging behaviour influences and triggers

• Learn how to manage challenging behaviours – online learning modules to support school staff manage behaviours of concern (or challenging behaviours)

Professional development

• De-escalation of student behaviour (staff login required) online course available to all school staff through LearnED

  This course provides staff with a comprehensive guide to understanding, preventing and responding to escalated student behaviour.

  Access: Voluntary, on-demand via LearnED
  Duration: 10 modules (5 hours)
  Suitable for: All Victorian government school staff including support staff

• Behaviour Assessments and Supports in Schools (BASIS) (staff login required) online course available to all school staff through LearnED

  BASIS includes 6 online learning modules to assist staff to identify likely reasons for underlying student behaviour and developing Behaviour Support Plans (BSP) that are informed by behaviour function

  Access: Voluntary, on-demand via LearnED
  Duration: 6 modules (6 hours)
  Suitable for: All Victorian government school staff including support staff