There has been a growing appreciation over the last two decades that school climate, the quality and character of school life, fosters — or undermines — children’s development, learning and achievement.  Research confirms what teachers and parents have claimed for decades: a safe and supportive school environment, in which students have positive social relationships and are respected, engaged in their work and feel competent, matters (Osher e.o, 2006). A growing number of reports, studies and legislation emphasize the importance of positive school climate in reducing achievement inequities, enhancing healthy development and promoting the skills, knowledge and dispositions that provide the foundation for 21st century school — and life — success.

In Amsterdam (Netherlands) the Dutch Youth Institute (NJi) produced in the period 2011-january 2013 audits on 42 secondary schools relating to safe and supportive school climate. The results demonstrated that school communities can do a great deal to prevent violence and  create an supportive environment, by:  

• having in place a safe, supportive and responsive foundation;  
• identify problems and assess progress toward solutions;  
• focus on academic achievement;
• involve families in meaningful ways;
• develop links to the relevant surrounding community;
• emphasize positive relationships among students and staff;
• discuss safety issues openly;
• treat students with equal respect;  
• signalize the early warning signs of a child who is troubled, so that effective interventions can be provided.

The audit program existed of an ‘observation survey’ of the physical aspects of the school, interviews with the representatives of the different functions, parents and students, and document verification.  An audit took about four hours, and resulted in an average of five major points for improvement. The auditors acted as a duo, with one auditor from the NJi, and one auditor who was recruited from the higher education in Amsterdam. They examined the documented policy as well as the degree of implementation in everyday school life.

 The indicators they used in the audits were evidence- and practice based. The main aspects (differentiated in qualitative and quantitative sub aspects) were:

School policy in regard of a safe and supportive climate (mission, vision, goals);  Calamity plan; norms and rules; sanctions in case of exceeding behavior as well as ways of maintaining; ways of cooperating with school partners; connection with non-attendance policy and support-system; ways of early signalizing; preventive, positive, and correcting measures; parent involvement;  systems for measuring and improving; functions with regard to safety and support.

The audit method was positively judged by the school leaders, because they experienced it as a non-threatening way of mirroring. For the NJi and the Amsterdam council it was an highly effective and efficient way of judging and contribution to improvements for a safe and supportive school climate, contributing to higher academic results, less incidents, less drop-out, more appreciation by students and parents.

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