Disproportionality in restrictive interventions: what schools should look for in the data
Disproportionality in restrictive interventions: what schools should look for in the data The 2026 DfE guidance expects governing bodies and proprietors to analyse intervention data, including monitoring disproportionality across vulnerable groups. That is a significant instruction. It means schools should not only ask, “Were incidents recorded?” They should also ask, “Who is experiencing restrictive interventions, […]
Searching for prohibited items: where reasonable force fits and where it does not
Searching for prohibited items: where reasonable force fits and where it does not The 2026 DfE guidance notes that force may be used by authorised staff to search for legally prohibited items, not merely items banned by school rules. That distinction matters. Schools manage many banned items: phones, vapes, energy drinks, uniform items, toys, and […]
Behaviour support plans after restraint: the review schools cannot skip
Behaviour support plans after restraint: the review schools cannot skip The 2026 DfE guidance is clear that schools should review behaviour support plans after incidents, especially where pupils have SEND, known vulnerabilities or repeated patterns of escalation. That review is not a courtesy. It is part of prevention. If the plan does not change after […]
Serious disorder, property damage and injury: understanding the thresholds for force
Serious disorder, property damage and injury: understanding the thresholds for force The 2026 DfE guidance reminds schools that reasonable force may be used in specific circumstances: to prevent injury to any person, prevent a criminal offence, prevent damage to property, or prevent serious disorder. Those words matter. They are thresholds, not vague permissions. Force is […]
Restraint and seclusion reporting: what the 2026 regulations mean in daily school life
Restraint and seclusion reporting: what the 2025 regulations mean in daily school life The 2026 DfE guidance sits alongside statutory recording and reporting duties, including the Seclusion and Restraint Regulations 2025. For schools, the practical message is clear: restraint and seclusion incidents must be recorded and parents informed promptly, even where plans already exist. That […]
Who should be trained to use reasonable force in schools?
Who should be trained to use reasonable force in schools? Th: Who should be trained to use reasonable force in schools? The 2026 DfE guidance makes a sensible but important point: schools should ensure staff who are likely to use restrictive interventions receive appropriate training that is specific to the school’s requirements. That sounds straightforward. […]
Ground restraint and unsafe techniques: what schools must remove from training
Ground restraint and unsafe techniques: what schools must remove from training The 2026 DfE guidance is explicit about unsafe practice. Force must never be used as punishment. Techniques that restrict breathing or circulation, or apply pressure to the neck or abdomen, must not be used. If ground restraint happens, it should be ended or repositioned […]
From behaviour policy to practice: making the guidance work in corridors and classrooms
From behaviour policy to practice: making the guidance work in corridors and classrooms Most schools have a behaviour policy. Many have a reasonable force or restrictive intervention section. Some have separate recording forms, risk assessments and behaviour support plans. On paper, the system may look complete. Then the bell goes, the corridor fills, a pupil […]
Positive Handling in Cumbria
Positive Handling in Cumbria and the North West: additions to our team! Did you know that we provide training in Positive Handling in Cumbria and the North West? Probably not! The truth is that our Managing Director (and one of our principal trainers), with exceptional experience of working with school staff on some of the […]
Positive Behaviour Management and Handling Training for Schools in Abu Dhabi UAE
This post is about positive behaviour management and. Here is a video we produced introducing our training to ADEK in 2019. This guide on positive behaviour management and is part of our ongoing work with schools and academies. Related reading New Behaviour in Schools Report International Positive Behaviour Management in Qatar with Dynamis Positive Behaviour […]