Can restorative practices in schools make a difference?

TLDR

Restorative practice is promoted in UK schools as a way to rebuild relationships after conflict and to foster an ethos that reduces future disciplinary incidents. This paper examines staff and pupil understandings of restorative practice, its underlying principles, and its successes and challenges in schools facing difficult circumstances. A two‑year evaluation of a Scottish national pilot, funded by the Scottish Executive and conducted by Glasgow and Edinburgh universities, was used to assess the implementation of restorative practice. The study links its results to broader debates on the role of discipline and control in education.

Abstract

Schools in the UK looking for solutions to concerns about indiscipline have been enthused by the basic premise of restorative practice; the need to restore good relationships when there has been conflict or harm; and develop a school ethos, policies and procedures that reduce the possibilities of such conflict and harm arising. In 2004 the Scottish Executive funded a national pilot project on restorative practice and commissioned a team at Glasgow and Edinburgh Universities to carry out a two‐year evaluation of the pilot. In this paper, we discuss staff and pupil understandings and offer some exploration of the underpinning principles of restorative practice as it has developed thus far in schools. We explore the successes and challenges schools experienced and discuss the potential contribution of restorative practices for schools in challenging times. Finally we relate our findings to some critical arguments about the meaning and purposes of discipline and control in schooling.