Calm, Consistent, and Certain: Building Better Behaviour in Primary

Thinking Deeply about Primary Education

Author

Kieran Mackle
August 25, 2025

Calm, Consistent, and Certain: Building Better Behaviour in Primary

Good Morning!

This week on Thinking Deeply About Primary Education, I’m joined by Liv Dempsey, Tom Oakley, and Charles Benkowitz to explore what it takes to create classrooms where students feel calm, safe, and ready to learn.

We discuss why certainty of consequence matters more than severity, the routines that prevent problems before they arise, and the language that de-escalates without lowering expectations. The panel also examine misconceptions around trauma-informed practice, the leadership decisions that give staff confidence they will be backed, and the cultural shifts that reduce stress across a school.

It’s a practical, research-informed conversation that gets to the heart of what makes behaviour systems both effective and sustainable in primary.

And as always, this week’s recommended reading section gathers together the books, papers, and resources mentioned in the discussion, so you can dig deeper into the ideas shaping our classrooms.

Calm, Consistent, and Certain: Building Better Behaviour in Primary by Thinking Deeply about Primary Education

Episode 242: What does it take to create classrooms where students feel safe, calm, and ready to learn every day? In this conversation, Liv Dempsey, Tom Oakley, and Charles Benkowitz join Kieran Mackle to explore the principles and practices that make behaviour systems effective and sustainable.

Visual Summary

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Running the Room - Tom Bennett

Evidence Snacks - Peps Mccrea

With one month to go until the Thinking Deeply about Primary Education Conference in Cardiff, now is the time to secure those last-minute tickets. Join us for a day of professional learning in aid of a great cause. September 27th, 2025 - 8:30am to 2:30pm. Click on the image to get yours today!

Listening Certificates

If you are listening in a jurisdiction with mandatory PD hours, certificates are available for listening to TDaPE episodes. For every form completed (click here) we’ll send a certificate to acknowledge your commitment to your continued professional development. The first certificates were sent out this week and I hope the recipients liked them!

Huge thank you to everyone who shared the post last week. Over the summer break, more and more teachers and educators have been thinking deeply about their craft and your support is hugely appreciated.

That’s all for this week. Let us know if you enjoyed any of the recommendations or have any questions via the comments section wherever you listen or by replying to this email.

Until next time, thanks for listening.