Change Your Provider
If you’re reviewing your current approach to positive handling, de-escalation and behaviour support, changing provider can be a strong step forward — but only if the replacement is safer, more sustainable, and better aligned to your legal and cultural responsibilities.
I just wanted to send a quick message because, as you know, this is the first time we have used Dynamis for our positive handling training since moving away from T*** T****. This was a brave decision for us as we have used that provider for a number of years.
However, now we have done the first of our two training days, I cannot tell you how delighted I am. You have been incredibly efficient in the administration of the course and the feedback from delegates has been exceptionally positive.
Working with Dynamis has allowed us to tailor the course more for our needs and there is a much more dynamic approach to content rather than simply a prescribed formula which is followed for all courses.
Switching provider: at a glance
The differences schools and trusts notice most, in one table. The detail behind every row is below.
| Your other provider may be asking you for… | With Dynamis… |
|---|---|
| Annual renewal because the system says so. | Training and refreshers based on your actual risk profile. |
| A fixed package or “level”. | A Training Needs Analysis before we recommend the right route. |
| A broad catalogue of holds. | The specific skills your staff are likely to need. |
| Techniques taught in isolation. | Scenario-driven practice that joins communication, positioning, decisions and last-resort intervention. |
| More admin, portals, licences and unclear extras. | Plain pricing, simple administration and clear inclusions. |
| A certificate-first conversation. | A competence, confidence and duty-of-care conversation. |
| A one-day memory test. | Ongoing support, online learning, champions and refresh options. |
| A quick trainer badge. | Trainer development with mentoring, shadowing and progressive competence. |
| A generic school-safe model. | Training shaped around your pupils, staff, building, incidents and culture. |
| “You’re trained now — see you next year.” | “Let’s keep your staff supported when the risks change.” |
Want the reasoning behind each row? See the detailed comparison further down this page.
What you may be asked for — and how we work
The same comparison, explained in full: what the pattern looks like in practice, and what we do instead.
These are the patterns schools and trusts most often raise with us when they review their current arrangement. They are not claims about any named provider, and we have not named one.
| Your other provider may be asking you for… | With Dynamis… |
|---|---|
| Annual re-accreditation as the default, even when the risk profile has not changed and the rationale is not explained. Renewal that follows the provider’s model rather than your setting’s actual need. | We start with need, not a renewal cycle. We recommend training and refreshers based on risk assessment, staff roles, incident patterns, turnover, and what has changed in the setting. Sometimes annual refreshers make sense. Sometimes a school needs more. Sometimes the right answer is a lighter review, targeted CPD, or online onboarding support. |
| A broad “telephone book” of positive handling content, where staff are shown lots of interventions and then left to work out which ones actually apply in their classrooms, corridors, playgrounds or school transport. | We narrow the work to the behaviours your staff actually face. If biting is not part of your risk profile, we do not spend valuable training time on biting. If staff are getting hurt during transitions, floor drops, fights, grabs, or door and gate incidents, that becomes the work. |
| A formulaic course that feels the same year after year, with limited adaptation to the age group, staff confidence, building layout, culture, or local incident pattern. | Every course is shaped through a Training Needs Analysis. The TNA gives us the real picture: what staff are facing, where it happens, who is at risk, what has already been tried, and what “good” needs to look like in your setting. |
| A level-based system that may not map neatly onto your reality — for example, “Level 1” or “Level 2” as a package, rather than a precise answer to who needs what and why. | We build the training around foreseeable risk. The question is not “which level do you want?” It is: who is likely to encounter risk, what sort of risk, how often, and what do they need to do safely, lawfully and consistently? |
| More administration than expected — portals, registration burdens, workbook requirements and extra admin costs — or pricing that only becomes clear after you commit. | We keep the commercial side plain. Clear cohort ratios, clear pricing, clear inclusions, clear next steps. If something costs more, we explain why before it becomes a surprise. |
| Training that teaches techniques first, then hopes staff can join the dots later — de-escalation in one block, physical intervention in another, and the learner left to figure out what to do when the situation moves quickly. | We use scenario-driven learning. Staff practise the first approach, the language, the positioning, the boundary, the disengagement, and — only where necessary — the last-resort physical option inside realistic situations. That is where judgement develops. |
| Staff becoming focused on “licensed holds” — worrying about what they are “allowed” to do, rather than understanding reasonable, necessary and proportionate action in context. | We teach decision-making, not just named techniques. Staff need to know what they can do, what they must not do, and how to explain their decisions afterwards. The technique matters. The judgement matters more. |
| A training relationship that can feel transactional — course, certificate, renewal, repeat. | We work as a support partner. That can include direct training, online modules, follow-up advice, trainer mentoring, post-course resources, incident-pattern review, and practical help when a new behaviour appears mid-year. |
| A one-hit annual training day, where staff are expected to remember everything months later under stress. | We can drip-feed capability through the year. Online learning, champions, tool-time talks, short refreshers, Zoom support for micro-teams, and scenario practice all help keep the standard alive after the training day. |
| A quick train-the-trainer route that may leave new trainers carrying too much too soon — nobody becomes a fully formed physical interventions trainer by walking in on Monday and leaving on Friday. | We develop trainers over time. Our trainer development approach is built around mentoring, shadowing, scenario-based delivery, individual development needs, and practical confidence — because good trainers are made, not stamped out by a certificate. |
| A system that may make schools feel locked in through licences, area arrangements, renewals and sunk cost, with little clarity about exclusivity. | We give advice before we sell. If direct training is better than train-the-trainer, we will say so. If a blended option solves the problem more efficiently, we will say so. If only a smaller action team needs full certification, we will say so. |
| Generic confidence. Staff may leave having “done the course”, but still not feel sure what to do with the child or pupil in front of them next Tuesday. | Relevant confidence. The aim is a team that can recognise escalation early, use dignity and boundaries, coordinate with colleagues, choose least-restrictive options, and act lawfully if physical intervention becomes unavoidable. |
A simple shortlist checklist
Choose a provider who can demonstrate all of the following.
Your path
From first conversation to a safer, more sustainable programme.
1. Enquire
Tell us what isn’t working now. We’ll map your setting, staffing and legal duties before we talk techniques.
2. Compare
Use the checklist above. We’ll be plain about what is included, what isn’t, and how we support trainers after qualification.
3. Switch
Move at a pace that fits your calendar — briefings, in-house trainers, and ongoing support so practice doesn’t drop after day one.
Frequently asked questions
How do you prevent tick-box delivery?
Scenario practice that reflects your school, observed trainer delivery, and updates driven by incidents and learning — not a script that never changes.
What ongoing support do trainers receive after qualification?
Mentoring, calibration, resources, telephone guidance for complex cases, and re-validation. A one-off certificate is not a sustainment plan. See our Train the Trainer pathway.
How do you keep policy and training aligned?
We help you match training to duty of care, safeguarding, proportionality and recording — so what staff are taught is what your policy actually allows.
What will we pay initially, and what later?
We’ll set out the full picture: what is included, what is not, and any renewal or recertification costs before you commit. No headline price that only makes sense after add-ons.
Can delivery flex around our school year?
Yes. On-site, regional, online, blended and phased options, adapted to staffing pressure and term dates.
Talk to us about changing provider
If your organisation is changing provider, the goal isn’t just different training. It’s safer practice, stronger governance, and confident staff — consistently, over time.
Guides
Download our Positive Handling starter guide for schools.
Contact us
Ready to explore Positive Handling training for your staff team? Let’s talk today.