Professional Responsibilities and Classroom Management
This domain tests your professional judgement: ethics, safeguarding, record-keeping and classroom management that protects learning time and dignity.
Core rules
- Duty of care: supervise, anticipate hazards and follow safeguarding and reporting procedures; never promise secrecy when a child discloses harm.
- Confidentiality: share information only with those who need it, for a professional purpose.
- Positive behaviour support: clear expectations, routines, active supervision, praise for desired behaviour and consistent consequences.
- Respond early and privately to low-level disruption; use proximity, redirection, choices and relationship repair.
- Restorative questions focus on harm, responsibility and repair, not humiliation.
- Communicate with families factually and early; keep records of incidents and contacts.
- Teachers are accountable for professional standards, including non-discriminatory practice and continued learning.
Worked example
A child repeatedly calls out during a lesson. The teacher stops, moves near the child, quietly restates the expectation (raise your hand and wait), and gives a choice (answer the next question or write it down). When the child raises a hand, the teacher acknowledges it immediately. The reasoning: the response is private, teaches the replacement behaviour and avoids a power struggle that would cost instructional time. If it persists, the teacher records the pattern and plans targeted support, not public punishment.
Traps
Do not discipline publicly to set an example; it escalates and humiliates. Do not ignore safeguarding disclosures or investigate them yourself. Do not treat one incident as a character judgement. Do not confuse consistency with rigidity. Do not discuss a child's behaviour with other parents.