By Dr Leanne Johnson, Head of Trauma Informed Practice and Standards, Outcomes First Group
There is no louder warning bell than the latest statistics around staff and pupil wellbeing and increasing suspensions and permanent exclusions. ‘Persistent disruptive behaviour’ has long been linked to children and young people with social emotional and mental health (SEMH) and/or special educational needs (SEN) whose needs are not being met. This is difficult to do without the right tools and support – and behaviour although just one part of the solution, is a powerful piece of the jigsaw.
Dictatorial, sanctions-based behaviour management leaves no option for pupils – either conform or confront, and staff are on the front line.
But what if pupils are part of the process in creating behaviour policies? What if policies progressed from shaming pupils into submission, to providing boundaries and expectations alongside restorative justice principles, and natural and logical consequences to help them learn? Can a different approach to behaviour management give pupils the opportunity to reconnect and regulate, put things right and move forward with their learning?
At Outcomes First Group we provide specialist education for autistic children and young people, and those with social emotional and mental health needs (SEMH) so behaviour is pivotal to pupils’ learning and development – but I think the same is true in mainstream schools. Building a strong partnership with parents and carers is the first step in addressing issues surrounding behaviour, including absenteeism which can be linked to Emotional Based School Avoidance.
The more we include, support, and involve families, the more confident and trusting they become, about their children being in school. When families feel this way, the children are more likely to feel the same way too. Behaviour becomes more manageable when we adopt a collaborative, ‘we’re in this together’ approach, rather than the old-fashioned, ‘them versus us’ stance.
Shame is a powerful and disabling emotion. It’s a significant barrier to learning and one of the greatest obstacles to a child’s ability to engage and develop trusting relationships effectively. Punitive behaviour policies are therefore counterproductive to achieving the best outcomes for learners. When pupil’s feel harshly criticised or reprimanded, their brain’s pre-frontal cortex or ‘thinking cap’ – responsible for impulse control, rational thinking, and problem-solving – does not function optimally. Instead, the brain shifts into a fight, flight, or freeze state, governed by the brainstem. They are no longer in a position to learn.
By addressing behaviour constructively, we can help pupils keep their ‘thinking caps’ on, enabling more effective learning and ultimately improving behaviour. The shame pupils feel after making a mistake can be consequence enough and adding further punishment may not be helpful. Focusing on rebuilding their self-esteem and supporting them to manage their feelings can lead to more positive outcomes. When pupils feel better about themselves, their behaviour naturally improves.
Shifting from a sanctions-based approach to one rooted in natural and logical consequences directly related to the behaviour, fosters accountability and encourages pupils to reflect on their actions, contributing to long-term personal growth and positive change. For example, if a pupil swears at a staff member, rather than a generic punishment, such as detention, which might only exacerbate frustration, the approach emphasises developing empathy and repairing that relationship. With support the pupil explores how the staff member might have felt and identifies strategies to manage and prevent similar incidents in the future.
The process involves examining the events leading up to the behaviour, identifying effective coping strategies, and supporting mutual understanding. Logical consequences are designed in collaboration with the pupil, encouraging them to think critically about fairness and the learning process, ensuring the response is meaningful and constructive.
Natural consequences, on the other hand, occur without intervention. For instance, if a pupil chooses not to wear a coat, they will feel cold. If they skip lunch, they’ll be hungry. While we remind and support pupils in understanding these outcomes, such consequences unfold organically and can often be powerful learning experiences.
This year we have piloted a behaviour policy with this approach across all our schools with outstanding results. The policy was co-produced with a number of pupils across our schools, who chose the wording and the images in our child friendly versions. The policy lays out what they can expect from staff:
- Our ‘promises’ to them – to keep them safe, make them feel cared for and included, help them reach their goals and celebrate their achievements.
- How we will help them using our trauma informed practice model, and the ways we will encourage them.
- What happens when things don’t go to plan, including keeping themselves and others safe, trying to understand the situation, and plan in case it happens again.
- Our responses to any bullying behaviour, including support for everyone affected by it.
- And finally, reporting any worries and concerns so they can be addressed.
There are two versions of the policy, one adapted for our lower cognitively-abled autistic pupils or those with complex needs, and a more mainstream version for our SEMH schools.
Although we created a universal policy, the goal is to provide actionable steps for schools to adopt or adapt these tools effectively. We developed guidance to help launch and embed the policy including involving clinical teams for support, embedding the policy through pupil councils, tutor times, teacher sessions, and parent/carer workshops.
This shift involves including children in developing values and norms for the school environment. Instead of writing a code of conduct that simply lists what not to do, we asked the children how they wanted school to be. Staff were surprised that the pupils’ suggestions aligned with what they had envisioned, demonstrating that the pupils understood the benefits of shared goals in a positive and respectful learning environment.
One school, Willow Park in Milton Keynes, has implemented this approach beautifully. It co-created its values with the children. The pupils decided they wanted school to be a respectful, safe, and enjoyable place, and these values were operationalised. They then introduced ‘Caught you being good’ coupons as unexpected rewards for positive behaviour. When a child demonstrates behaviour that aligns with these values, they receive a coupon noting the specific values their actions reflected.
It’s not about mandatory rewards but fostering intrinsic motivation. The children are involved in deciding what the rewards should be, which ensures they feel invested. The coupons feed into the school’s reward system. For example, children might use them for a lucky dip with small prizes like pencils or erasers.
Many of our schools have an end-of-week assembly recognising pupil’s achievements, focusing on relationships and shared experiences. For example, a pupil may be rewarded with a favourite trip or an outing with a teacher – a relational activity that fosters a sense of belonging and intrinsic motivation to engage with school. Importantly all of our children experience enrichment time – a move away from ‘golden time’ for those that behave well – we share the ethos that all children deserve positive experiences.
While implementing the changes, we noticed some parents, carers, and social workers continued to ask about sanctions. We drafted a template letter to explain the restorative, empathy-building approach; schools access an online version so they can adapt it to suit their specific parental communities.
Over the first year of implementing the policy, 83% of our SEMH schools have reduced their average number of restraints. There has also been a reduction in physical acts towards staff and other pupils, and a positive impact on lesson engagement and positive pupil feedback.
The launch has been a great success with all our schools buzzing with excitement about the new policy.
For more information please visit: www.outcomesfirstgroup.co.uk
