TEXAN-style classroom discipline is coming to an Oxford school after teachers voted overwhelmingly to back radical changes to the way the school is run.

Behaviour expert Prof Jerome Freiberg flew in to Peers Technology College in Oxford to showcase his programme of positive classroom discipline to the school's 75 teachers.

They voted more than 90 per cent in favour of adopting his methods which include a 'caught being good' notice board and classroom 'jobs' for pupils.

Peers Technology College failed its Ofsted inspection last year because of pupils' bad behaviour, poor attendance and low standards.

In a bid to turn the school around, Professor Freiberg will work with the school over the next three years to turn pupils into 'citizens' who participate in the school rather than 'tourists' who pass through without getting involved.

The Texan said it was vital that the issue of bad behaviour was tackled as British schools were on the verge of having serious problems.

Prof Freiberg said: "The difference between children in American and British schools is that ours are much worse, but you are on the cusp of having some serious problems in the UK."

The school will begin implementing the first stage of the programme, called Consistency Management and Co-operative Discipline (CMCD), within a week and Oxfordshire County Council will monitor its progress.

Deputy head and English teacher, Jeanette Mackie, was among a team of seven teachers from Peers who flew to Houston in December to see CMCD in action and has already introduced some of the techniques into her classes.

She said: "It's about making the pupils citizens not tourists, getting them to see that it's their school and their classroom.

"We increase teaching time by sharing the operation of the classroom with the young people.

"They take on jobs and manage some of the routines. This gives you more time to teach and means you will spend less time dealing with antisocial behaviour.

"It's about trying to encourage positive behaviour and kindness to others."

Headteacher Lorna Caldicott said: "Teachers who have been experimenting with it on a small scale have found it a very positive experience."

Pupils were given the day off last Friday so staff could attend a conference with Prof Freiberg, before voting in a secret ballot on whether to adopt his methods at the school.

An overwhelming 94 per cent of the school's 75 teachers voted in favour of the programme, which has only been used in a handful of UK schools, with reportedly excellent results.