What UAE schools told us after a week of Positive Handling training
Last week, Gerard O’Dea delivered a series of Positive Handling and crisis response training sessions for UAE schools, including Safa Community School, Safa British School, Aspen Heights British School, DESS, Emirates International School and Al Salam Private School. Across many feedback submissions, the pattern was clear: school staff valued training that was practical, legally grounded, calm in tone, and specific to the realities of working with children and young people in UAE schools.
The scores were strong. Learners gave an average recommendation score of more than 9 out of 10. Every respondent said the techniques were appropriate, the theory was professionally helpful, the course was run safely. Trainer knowledge was rated either Excellent or Very Good by every respondent. That matters, because this subject sits in a sensitive space. Staff are not just asking, “What can I do?” They are asking, “What should I do, when a child is distressed, unsafe, impulsive, or at risk — and how do I explain that decision afterwards?”
One learner from DESS put that need plainly: in a country where the law around school employee liability and physically stopping a child is “not straight forward”, staff need to know “what, when, how, and under which circumstances it is acceptable to physically stop a child.” That is exactly why generic behaviour training is not enough for UAE schools. The local context matters. Duty of care matters. Cultural and legal understanding matters. Staff need practical confidence, but they also need defensible judgement.
The learning outcomes for the course reflect that balance. Staff are expected to understand the phases of crisis behaviour, common triggers, the effects of trauma on the developing brain, and the use of non-escalation and de-escalation skills before physical intervention is even considered. They also learn how distance, positioning, hand gestures, teamwork and communication improve safety, alongside UAE-specific legal principles and the need to record and report incidents properly.
The feedback suggests learners noticed that balance. At Aspen Heights, one Deputy Head Teacher praised the “good balance of physical and verbal deescalation,” while another learner said the session was “relatable to our own situations” and adapted in the moment to the scenarios and questions being raised by staff. That phrase — our own situations — is doing a lot of work. Schools do not need abstract advice about “challenging behaviour”. They need to practise what happens when a child bolts from a classroom, when a distressed pupil lashes out, when a member of staff hesitates because they are unsure what the law allows, or when a team needs to intervene without making the encounter worse.
Several learners commented on the training style itself. One Teaching Assistant from Safa British School described the session as “very personalised,” noting that Gerard focused on the cohort’s real experiences and gave relevant, applicable strategies. They also valued the psychological and behavioural “tidbits” and the way Gerard led the group to answers rather than simply giving them away. That is a strong description of good adult learning: not a lecture, not a list of moves, but guided professional judgement.
The strongest feedback was not just praise. It was specific. Learners mentioned “real life practice + scenarios,” a “good mix of presentation and practical,” clear explanations, professional accuracy, and unanswered questions being dealt with through clear rationale. This is what schools need when they are supporting increasingly complex inclusion, wellbeing and safeguarding needs. A staff team may include senior leaders, counsellors, inclusion staff, LSAs, class teachers and pastoral leads. Each role sees a different part of the same risk picture. Training has to create shared language across those roles.
There were also useful improvement signals. A small number of learners wanted more time, including requests for a full day or longer sessions to cover more material. One learner asked for a more specific approach for SEN children who may be quicker or more aggressive during episodes and meltdowns. That is not negative feedback; it is a sign that the subject has depth. Once staff see how relevant the training is, they often want more practice, more scenario work, and more time to connect the principles to the children they support.
The message from last week is simple: UAE schools want training that respects their legal context, their school culture, and the real pressures staff face. They want to reduce risk early through better relationships, communication and planning. They also want staff to know what to do when words are not enough and safety requires a last-resort physical response.
That is the work: keeping everyone safe, verbally wherever possible, and physically only if necessary — with dignity, clarity and professional judgement.
This guide on What UAE schools told us after a week of Positive Handling training is part of our ongoing work with schools and academies.