Teachers headbutted and bitten by children as young as five.
A brief post noting reports of teachers being headbutted and bitten by children as young as five, with links to related reading on classroom communication, attacks on staff and five steps to persuasion.
Duty of Care and stopping fights in Positive Handling
Schools often ask whether safe, risk-free ways exist to stop fights between children. A video tells how one teacher improvised urgently in her classroom, illustrating duty of care in physical interventions.
You need a team for safe Positive Handling and here is why
A short video clip in which Gerard O’Dea explains why the company does not recommend that one member of staff carries out a restraint, defined here as immobilising a child, without proper assistance.
Alerting other staff that you need help in Positive Handling
This training clip covers how to set up reliable alerting systems so staff can call for help. Other staff arriving quickly make a physical intervention safer, so this deserves planning.
Can Online Training help you to allocate the right resources to Positive Handling?
Learner comments on the online element, which delivers theory before the practical day. Responses say it saved time, allowed reflection, and left more room for hands-on practice not reliant on strength.
How many school staff to train in positive handling?
Whole school training is not always the right answer. Schools should identify the staff who are most likely to need to restrain a child, such as the SENCo, behaviour leads, teachers and teaching assistants.
The Six Positive Handling Scenarios in Schools
Six situations that can call for force or positive handling in schools are introduced by Gerard O’Dea, who discusses the common scenarios staff may meet.
Allegations and Teachers’ rights to Use Force
Deputy head Royden Cope restrained a violent pupil, was prosecuted for assault, then cleared. DfE guidance says all school staff may use reasonable force to prevent harm or maintain order.
4 in 10 Teachers attacked by Pupils
An ATL survey found four in ten teachers had faced violence from pupils in a year, with pushing, kicking and thrown objects common. Schools, it argues, need support from other services.
Sacked School Worker Wins £70,000 Compensation From Tribunal
A former head of care was dismissed for taking a teenager by the arm at a school for children with behavioural difficulties. A tribunal found no wrongdoing and awarded him £70,950.