School Leaders: Developing & Implementing a Relational Approach to Behaviour

If the same few pupils spend every week in detention and nothing changes, the system isn't working for them, or for the staff picking up the pieces. A relational approach flips where the time goes: more of it building relationships, far less of it repairing them afterwards.

You'll see how one special school made that change, from the deputy head who led it after 17 years in mainstream. The everyday pieces are simple enough to borrow, like daily check-ins, calm corners in every classroom and a relationships policy in place of a behaviour policy. Weekly staff circles keep everyone's wellbeing, and everyone's voice, in the room.

Expect some resistance. Some staff will want detentions back, so you'll get a way to bring them with you. Drip-feed the training, start with one or two changes and keep coming back to why.