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, […]
MAT-wide consistency: why trusts need one standard for restrictive interventions
MAT-wide consistency: why trusts need one standard for restrictive interventions For multi-academy trusts, the 2026 DfE guidance raises an important question: how consistent is practice across your schools? A trust may have one school recording every significant use of force carefully, another using a different form, another describing seclusion as “time out”, and another relying […]
Post-incident debrief: where safer practice is built
Post-incident debrief: where safer practice is built The 202: Post-incident debrief: where safer practice is built The 2026 DfE guidance expects schools to take post-incident action: medical checks where needed, debriefing with staff and pupils, analysis to prevent recurrence and wellbeing support for those affected. This is not an afterthought. The debrief is where the […]
Why schools need a training needs assessment before positive handling training
Why schools need a training needs assessment before positive handling training A school asks for positive handling training. That is common enough. The harder question is whether the school has first identified what training it actually needs. The 2026 DfE guidance says staff likely to use restrictive interventions should receive appropriate training specific to the […]
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 […]
Why “no-contact” policies can put schools at risk
Why “no-contact” policies can put schools at risk A head tea: Why “no-contact” policies can put schools at risk A head teacher once asked us whether the safest position was to tell staff never to touch pupils at all. I understand the instinct. Complaints, allegations, social media, parental scrutiny and safeguarding anxiety have made many […]
Governors and intervention data: the questions boards should be asking
Governors and intervention data: the questions boards should be asking The 2026 DfE guidance gives governing bodies and proprietors a clear oversight role. They should ensure recording and reporting procedures are followed and analyse intervention data to improve practice, identify training needs, detect repeat patterns and monitor disproportionality. That is a serious responsibility. It also […]
Seclusion is not a sanction: what the 2026 guidance means for safe spaces
Seclusion is not a sanction: what the 2026 guidance means for safe spaces The word “seclusion” can create immediate anxiety in schools, and rightly so. It is a serious restriction on a pupil’s freedom. The 2026 DfE guidance is clear that seclusion must be a safety measure only, not punishment or discipline. It must happen […]
SEND, reasonable adjustments and positive handling: prevention before crisis
SEND, reasonable adjustments and positive handling: prevention before crisis If the 2026 DfE guidance has one message for schools working with pupils with SEND, it is this: do not wait until crisis to start thinking. The guidance points schools towards identifying triggers, planning proactively, working with parents and professionals, making reasonable adjustments and reviewing plans […]
Recording reasonable force: what good incident notes need to prove
Recording reasonable force: what good incident notes need to prove Most schools know they need to record significant uses of force. The 2026 DfE guidance makes that duty very clear. What is less clear, sometimes, is what a good record is actually for. A record is not just an administrative task. It is not a […]