Contribute to Prospect’s submission on behaviour management

Members of Prospect’s Education and Children’s Services Group are invited to contribute to the union’s forthcoming submission to the Department for Education’s consultation on behaviour management.

The DfE is calling for evidence on behaviour management strategies, ‘in-school’ behavioural units and managed moves.

This is ahead of a review of behaviour, discipline, suspensions and permanent exclusions legal guidance expected later this year.

Much of the coverage has so far focussed on the relative merits of a blanket top-down approach, for example, on banning the use of mobile phones in schools.

The consultation is broader than this though, and Prospect’s Education and Children’s Services Group will be putting together a submission that represents our members’ wider perspective, not only in working with schools, but ensuring that children and young people and their families receive support.

We know services have been under intense funding pressure and teams have been stretched. All this has been exacerbated by Covid–19 priorities.

We have highlighted some questions we think are particularly relevant in the following areas and we would be interested in hearing your comments and experiences.

Please get in touch with evidence you think we should consider in our submission by Thursday 29 July emailing [email protected].

Behaviour Strategies Management

1. Have you seen or experienced any new or refreshed whole school behavioural practices during the Covid-19 pandemic?
2. Have you seen any practices that were particularly effective and that will be continued after restrictions are lifted?
3. Have you seen or experienced any adjustments made to a school or group of schools’ behaviour policy to respond to any adverse effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on pupils? Please explain what was effective and not effective.
4. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, what pupil-level practices or interventions did you find were most effective in supporting pupils to address persistently disruptive behaviour? Which of these approaches helped to better understand the triggers to inappropriate behaviour? Please include any evidence that would help to evaluate these practices for effectiveness.
5. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, what practices or interventions did you find were most effective for addressing low level disruptive behaviour? Please include any evidence that would help to evaluate these practices for effectiveness.
6. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, what pupil-level practices or interventions have been effective for pupils with particular vulnerabilities? Which of these approaches helped to better understand triggers?
7. What challenges would or do you think schools will face in banning mobile phones from the school day and do you have any concerns about banning phones from the school day.

Removal Rooms and Spaces

1. What is your experience of removal rooms, how are they used? If you are in a Local Authority or a MAT how are they explained in your behaviour policy?
2. In your experience what factors are most integral to the success of removal rooms in managing pupil behaviour and what are the barriers to success? Please explain how this is used to improve future behaviour when a pupil returns to the classroom, including any evidence you have of their effectiveness (or otherwise).
3. Have you experienced vulnerable pupils using these rooms? How are they supported vulnerable pupils*, especially those with SEND, when placing them in removal rooms? Please comment on the challenges, if any, you have seen/experienced in these circumstances.

In-school behavioural units

1. In your role do you see/experience these type of units being used?
   Yes/No
2. Do they support pupils from multiple schools?
   Yes/No
3. Who are the target cohort for your units, what is the duration of the placements and is attendance full or part time?
4. How do the units you come across function, including purpose, gateways, admissions, process/criteria, staffing, curriculum, and oversight?
5. Do you have information about these units in the LA behaviour policy?
6. How does the unit(s) work with parents/carers and SENCO’s and designated safeguarding leads?
7. What factors are most integral to the success of these units and what are the barriers to success?
8. How has the unit improved outcomes for pupils? Please comment on attainment, attendance, reintegration into mainstream classes, wellbeing and referrals to AP.

Managed Move

1. In what circumstances is it appropriate for a pupil to have a managed move with the aim of permanently resettling in a new school rather than a short-term intervention to receive support in an alternative setting? Please identify the school types within your answer.
2. What does effective engagement with pupils, parents, carers and other agencies look like throughout the managed move process? Please refer to any practice you may be aware of outside of your own school, trust or local authority.
3. How do you monitor managed moves and who is involved? Please respond either at school-level, trust-level, or across a local area depending on what is appropriate for you. Please indicate what has worked particularly well and include any reference to the length of placement.