Applying Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs to Student Support

Something isn't right with a pupil. Their behaviour has changed, their grades have slipped, or a colleague just has a feeling. The hard part is knowing where to begin.

Maslow's hierarchy of needs turns that feeling into questions you can work through together, starting at the bottom. Are they tired, hungry, taking food from other children? Do they feel safe enough to make a mistake in class? Are they always the last one left in the playground after the bell? You'll learn the red flags at each level, how to put support where the gap is, and how to track a group of pupils on one A3 sheet at pastoral meetings.

It comes from a secondary SENCO and mental health lead who uses it every day. A pupil who doesn't feel they belong is open to anyone who offers them that feeling, so it's a safeguarding tool too.