ABSTRACT
When the Elton Report was published in 1989 it was widely agreed that it contained a comprehensive and up-to-date analysis of the extent of problem behaviour in schools. Large-scale violence in the classroom was not seen to be a major problem. What was a problem, however, was the continuously disruptive behaviour of many pupils. ‘Beaten down-not beaten up’ was the message it gave back to all who were involved in education.
