Who should be trained to use reasonable force in schools?
Who should be trained to use reasonable force in schools? Th: Who should be trained to use reasonable force in schools? The 2026 DfE guidance makes a sensible but important point: schools should ensure staff who are likely to use restrictive interventions receive appropriate training that is specific to the school’s requirements. That sounds straightforward. […]
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 […]
Reporting to parents: why same-day communication protects trust
Reporting to parents: why same-day communication protects trust Few moments test a school’s relationship with parents more than a restrictive intervention involving their child. The 2026 DfE guidance is clear: parents should be informed as soon as practicable, ideally the same day, when there has been a significant use of force, restraint or seclusion. Written […]
From behaviour policy to practice: making the guidance work in corridors and classrooms
From behaviour policy to practice: making the guidance work in corridors and classrooms Most schools have a behaviour policy. Many have a reasonable force or restrictive intervention section. Some have separate recording forms, risk assessments and behaviour support plans. On paper, the system may look complete. Then the bell goes, the corridor fills, a pupil […]
Why “no-contact” policies can put schools at risk
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 schools nervous about physical contact of any kind. But the 2026 […]
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 […]
Restrictive intervention policy is now a behaviour-culture issue
Restrictive intervention policy is now a behaviour-culture issue We were asked recently what the April 2026 DfE guidance really changes for schools. The answer is not simply “more paperwork”, although the recording and reporting duties are clearly important. The bigger point is this: restrictive intervention can no longer sit in a dusty policy folder and […]
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 […]