Advertise on podcast: School Behaviour Secrets with Simon Currigan and Emma Shackleton

Why do so many sensible school strategies fail, even when staff are trying their best? In this episode of School Behaviour Secrets, we explore one of the biggest challenges facing school leaders: consistency. Because having the right strategy is only half the battle - the real challenge is getting staff to understand it, apply it in practice and embed it over time. Using the example of restorative conversations, you’ll learn how to use the ALIGN framework - a simple, practical model to help schools move from patchy implementation to a more consistent approach across staff teams. In this episode, we’ll explain: why good ideas often break down after launchhow inconsistency affects staff, pupils and school culturewhy consistency does not mean rigid samenesshow to build shared language, shared practice and shared ownershipthe five parts of the ALIGN framework:If you’re a headteacher, SENCO, behaviour lead or teacher trying to get everyone pulling in the same direction, this episode will give you a practical way to think about implementation in your school. Important links: Get our FREE Reducing Exclusions Checklist: https://beaconschoolsupport.co.uk/exclusions-checklist.php Download other FREE behaviour resources for use in school: https://beaconschoolsupport.co.uk/resources.php School leaders: Join us at the National SEMH Conference (October 2026) It's a whole day focused on the real SEMH, behaviour and inclusion pressures facing schools - and what leaders can do next. Plus, right now you can get Super Early Bird tickets at £250 - find out more and book your place here.

What if a pupil’s dysregulation isn’t just about behaviour - but about hidden executive function demands they can’t yet manage? In this episode of School Behaviour Secrets, you’ll learn how difficulties with executive function can fuel frustration, overload and emotional dysregulation in the classroom. Using a concrete case study and the PAIN framework, we unpack how challenges with holding information in mind and inhibiting impulses can quickly tip a child from not coping with work into shutdown, refusal or meltdown. You’ll discover why this matters even more now executive function is being talked about more explicitly in the SEND reform conversation, how lesson structure can accidentally increase stress, and three practical strategies teachers can use to reduce overload and support regulation more effectively. If you work with children who seem to fall apart around learning demands, this episode will help you look beneath the behaviour and respond with greater clarity and confidence. Important links: Get our FREE SEND Behaviour Handbook: https://beaconschoolsupport.co.uk/send-handbook Download other FREE behaviour resources for use in school: https://beaconschoolsupport.co.uk/resources.php School leaders: Join us at the National SEMH Conference (October 2026) It's a whole day focused on the real SEMH, behaviour and inclusion pressures facing schools - and what leaders can do next. Plus, right now you can get Super Early Bird tickets at £250 - find out more and book your place here.

The government’s new SEND reform paper proposes major changes to how schools support pupils with additional needs. But what does it actually mean for mainstream schools, teachers and SENCOs? In this episode of School Behaviour Secrets, we break down the key changes in the proposed SEND reforms and explains what they could mean for SEMH support in schools. You’ll learn: • Why mainstream schools will increasingly be expected to meet SEND needs earlier • How the new layers of support (Universal, Targeted and Specialist provision) are designed to work • Why support bases and inclusion spaces may become more common in mainstream schools • What the move away from diagnosis-driven support means for classrooms • Why adaptive teaching, staff training and whole-school consistency will matter more than ever. If you’re a school leader, SENCO or teacher supporting pupils with SEMH needs, this episode will help you understand what changes may be coming - and what your school should start thinking about now. Important links: Get our FREE SEND Behaviour Handbook: https://beaconschoolsupport.co.uk/send-handbook Download other FREE behaviour resources for use in school: https://beaconschoolsupport.co.uk/resources.php School leaders: Join us at the National SEMH Conference (October 2026) It's a whole day focused on the real SEMH, behaviour and inclusion pressures facing schools - and what leaders can do next. Plus, right now you can get Super Early Bird tickets at £250 - find out more and book your place here.

Some of the pupils who need the most support are the ones who refuse it. They say they’re fine. They push adults away. They avoid check-ins, mentoring and pastoral support - then struggle or explode under pressure. In this episode of School Behaviour Secrets, we explore why this happens, through the lens of avoidant attachment. Not as a label, but as a way of understanding why help itself can feel unsafe for some children. You’ll learn why well-meaning support strategies sometimes backfire, what rejecting help is really communicating, and how small shifts in adult approach can make support feel safer without forcing closeness. This episode is especially useful for teachers, SENCOs and school leaders working with hard-to-reach pupils who appear independent but struggle beneath the surface. Plus, we also share practical techniques to use with the pupils you work with - who survive by not needing anyone. A must-listen if you’ve ever thought: “Why won’t they let me help?” Important links: Get our FREE SEND Behaviour Handbook: https://beaconschoolsupport.co.uk/send-handbook Download other FREE behaviour resources for use in school: https://beaconschoolsupport.co.uk/resources.php School leaders: Join us at the National SEMH Conference (October 2026) It's a whole day focused on the real SEMH, behaviour and inclusion pressures facing schools - and what leaders can do next. Plus, right now you can get Super Early Bird tickets at £250 - find out more and book your place here.

Why do children sometimes say things online they would never say face to face? In this episode of School Behaviour Secrets, you’ll learn why social media can make behaviour escalate so quickly - and why it’s not simply about children being unkind.  Drawing on psychology and real-world school experience, we explain how social media and messaging apps remove the natural feedback that helps children regulate their behaviour - and why that’s important. You’ll come away with a brain-based framework to understand online cruelty in children that you can share with staff and parents - and ideas for supporting children to slow down and make better choices on social media. Important links: Get our FREE SEND Behaviour Handbook: https://beaconschoolsupport.co.uk/send-handbook Download other FREE behaviour resources for use in school: https://beaconschoolsupport.co.uk/resources.php School leaders: Join us at the National SEMH Conference (October 2026) It's a whole day focused on the real SEMH, behaviour and inclusion pressures facing schools - and what leaders can do next. Plus, right now you can get Super Early Bird tickets at £250 - find out more and book your place here.

Emotional regulation is not a curriculum - and treating it like one backfires. Many pupils can explain their emotions, name calming strategies, and talk confidently about what they “should” do… yet still struggle to cope when things get hard in the classroom. In this episode of School Behaviour Secrets, you’ll learn why teaching emotional regulation as a set of lessons often doesn’t work, and how schools can accidentally make things worse by confusing facts about regulation with emotional regulation skills. Using a real-world pupil story, we break down: Why recalling strategies often fails when children are dysregulatedHow automatic behaviours always win under stressWhy motivation doesn’t come first – and what should replace itAnd how regulation is built through repeated, practical, supported experiences, not curriculum contentYou’ll also hear a simple, classroom-friendly model – Co-regulation, Practise, Fade - to help pupils develop regulation through co-regulation, without adding more programmes or workload. If you’re supporting pupils who “know the strategies” but still struggle in the moment, this episode will help you reframe what’s really going on - and what actually helps. Important links: Get your FREE Beacon School Support guide to helping children manage their strong emotions Get our FREE SEND Behaviour Handbook: https://beaconschoolsupport.co.uk/send-handbook Download other FREE behaviour resources for use in school: https://beaconschoolsupport.co.uk/resources.php School leaders: Join us at the National SEMH Conference (October 2026) It's a whole day focused on the real SEMH, behaviour and inclusion pressures facing schools - and what leaders can do next. Plus, right now you can get Super Early Bird tickets at £250 - find out more and book your place here.

More children are struggling to cope with small setbacks in school. Mistakes feel overwhelming. Frustration escalates quickly. And learning grinds to a halt. In this episode of School Behaviour Secrets, we explore why this isn’t about children being “less resilient” - and why common advice like “push through” or “try harder” often makes things worse. You’ll learn how modern home and school environments have reduced children’s opportunities to practise coping with difficulty - and what that means for behaviour, learning and staff workload. You’ll discover: What resilience really is (and what it isn’t)Why a packed curriculum and over-scaffolding can unintentionally undermine coping skillsThe difference between resilience and grit - and where grit is often misunderstood4 practical classroom strategies to help children stay engaged when learning feels hardHow to support emotional regulation without removing challengeThis episode is for teachers, SENCOs and school leaders who want to build genuine resilience in children - without blame, pressure or unrealistic expectations. Important links: Get your FREE Beacon School Support guide to helping children manage their strong emotions Get our FREE SEND Behaviour Handbook: https://beaconschoolsupport.co.uk/send-handbook Download other FREE behaviour resources for use in school: https://beaconschoolsupport.co.uk/resources.php School leaders: Join us at the National SEMH Conference (October 2026) It's a whole day focused on the real SEMH, behaviour and inclusion pressures facing schools - and what leaders can do next. Plus, right now you can get Super Early Bird tickets at £250 - find out more and book your place here.

Teachers are often told they need to be “more assertive” in the classroom. But what does that actually mean when behaviour starts to wobble, pressure rises, and everyone’s watching? In this episode of School Behaviour Secrets, you’ll learn what assertiveness really looks like in practice - and why it isn’t about being louder, stricter, or more dominant. Instead, it’s about clarity, calm and making better decisions before you even open your mouth. You’ll explore why many behaviour confrontations escalate because adults are focused on “winning” the moment, and how redefining what success looks like can lead to calmer classrooms and fewer repeat issues over time. The episode breaks assertiveness down into clear, practical strategies you can use straight away, including how to steady your body language, adjust your voice, give instructions that don’t invite debate, and choose the right moment to follow things up. If you work in a classroom and want behaviour to improve without damaging relationships, escalating situations, or feeling emotionally drained, this episode will give you a simple, usable framework to take into your next lesson. Important links: Get your copy of the Classroom Management Scoresheet: https://beaconschoolsupport.co.uk/classroom-management-scoresheet Download other FREE behaviour resources for use in school: https://beaconschoolsupport.co.uk/resources School leaders: Join us at the National SEMH Conference (October 2026) It's a whole day focused on the real SEMH, behaviour and inclusion pressures facing schools - and what leaders can do next. Plus, right now you can get Super Early Bird tickets at £250 - find out more and book your place here.

In many schools, the SENCO role has become the pressure point where everything ends up - SEND, SEMH, behaviour, parent concerns, paperwork and managing crises and pupil outbursts. And when that happens, how SEND and SEMH is supported across the school starts to break down. In this episode of School Behaviour Secrets, you’ll learn why the SENCO job has become increasingly difficult even in caring, well-intentioned schools - and why this isn’t about individual failure. You’ll see how a range of factors have unintentionally made the role of SENCO the single point of SEND failure in schools. And how this affects classroom practice, consistency of support and long-term sustainability for pupils with complex needs in school. Most importantly, you’ll come away with a clearer way of thinking about the role - and how we need to redefine it - so it’s fit for purpose moving forwards. All without adding additional stress to hard-working SENCOs or burning them out. If you care about inclusion and want SENCO support that’s sustainable, this episode is for you. Important links: Get our FREE SEND Behaviour Handbook: https://beaconschoolsupport.co.uk/send-handbook Download other FREE behaviour resources for use in school: https://beaconschoolsupport.co.uk/resources School leaders: Join us at the National SEMH Conference (October 2026) It's a whole day focused on the real SEMH, behaviour and inclusion pressures facing schools - and what leaders can do next. Plus, right now you can get Super Early Bird tickets at £250 - find out more and book your place here.

On paper, your behaviour policy makes sense… so why doesn’t it work in every classroom - and for every pupil? In this episode of School Behaviour Secrets, you’ll learn the 7 reasons why good behaviour policies often fail in good schools - even when leaders care, staff are committed and the intentions are right. Drawing on nearly two decades of work with real schools, we unpack the hidden reasons behaviour policies stumble: why copying “best practice” from other settings can backfire, why consistency breaks down under pressure and what happens when policies are launched but never truly embedded into everyday practice. If you’re a school leader or teacher trying to build a behaviour policy that staff actually use, trust, and stick to when things get difficult, this episode will help you stress-test your thinking and understand how to embed an effective policy in your school. Important links: Get our FREE Reducing Exclusions Checklist: https://beaconschoolsupport.co.uk/exclusions-checklist.php Download other FREE behaviour resources for use in school: https://beaconschoolsupport.co.uk/resources School leaders: Join us at the National SEMH Conference (October 2026) It's a whole day focused on the real SEMH, behaviour and inclusion pressures facing schools - and what leaders can do next. Plus, right now you can get Super Early Bird tickets at £250 - find out more and book your place here.

Restorative conversations are everywhere in schools right now. They’re written into behaviour policies, referenced in Ofsted language, and promoted as the gold standard for repairing harm and building accountability. But what happens when those conversations don’t work - especially for pupils with SEND? In this episode of School Behaviour Secrets, you’ll learn why: ·         standard restorative conversations can break down for pupils with communication difficulties, empathy differences, trauma histories or rejection sensitive dysphoria ·         what restorative practice assumes about children’s skills, why some pupils struggle to access those conversations ·         how to adapt your approach so it remains inclusive, fair, and effective - without lowering expectations or abandoning accountability If you’ve ever walked away from a “restorative” conversation thinking, ”that didn’t change anything”, this episode will give you the practical strategies you’ve been missing. Important links: Download our FREE behaviour resources for use in school: https://beaconschoolsupport.co.uk/resources School leaders: Join us at the National SEMH Conference (October 2026) It's a whole day focused on the real SEMH, behaviour and inclusion pressures facing schools - and what leaders can do next. Plus, right now you can get Super Early Bird tickets at £250 - find out more and book your place here.

In 2026 the government is going to make big changes in how schools handle behaviour, SEMH and inclusion. The question is: are we ready for what that actually means? In this episode, we makes a series of predictions about where the system is heading next year - not based on politics or policy promises, but on how schools really work when money, policy and classroom reality collide. Some of these predictions may make you uncomfortable. Others may feel uncomfortably familiar. But if you want a grounded, experience-led perspective on what’s coming - and how to lead through it without burning out - this episode will help you see 2026 more clearly before it arrives. Share your thoughts on these predictions (or share your own!) through Linked In or Facebook: https://www.linkedin.com/in/simon-currigan/  https://www.facebook.com/beaconschoolsupport School leaders: Join us at the National SEMH Conference (October 2026) It's a whole day focused on the real SEMH, behaviour and inclusion pressures facing schools - and what leaders can do next. Plus, right now you can get Super Early Bird tickets at £250 - find out more and book your place here.

Some of the most damaging ideas about behaviour in schools don’t sound wrong. They sound kind. They sound scientific. They sound progressive. And that’s exactly why they stick. In this episode of School Behaviour Secrets, Simon Currigan unpacks four popular SEMH myths that are quietly making behaviour worse - not because people mean badly, but because good ideas have been overstretched, oversimplified, and misunderstood. You’ll explore: Why children do still make choices - even when emotions run highThe truth about trauma-informed practice (and why it doesn’t lower expectations)Why consequences matter even when they don’t “fix” behaviourWhy SEMH can’t replace behaviour systems - and what happens when schools tryThis isn’t about winning arguments. It’s about clearing away the half-truths that sabotage classrooms and replacing them with thinking that actually works. If you’re a teacher or school leader who wants calmer classrooms, fairer systems and a better understanding of what’s really going on underneath behaviour, this episode will give you clarity - not slogans. Important links: Get our FREE SEND Behaviour Handbook: https://beaconschoolsupport.co.uk/send-handbook Download other FREE behaviour resources for use in school: https://beaconschoolsupport.co.uk/resources School leaders: Join us at the National SEMH Conference (October 2026) It's a whole day focused on the real SEMH, behaviour and inclusion pressures facing schools - and what leaders can do next. Plus, right now you can get Super Early Bird tickets at £250 - find out more and book your place here.

The first week of January isn’t just “back to school” - it’s one of the most effective behaviour intervention points of the entire year. In this episode, we explore how to harness the psychology of the Fresh Start Effect to reset classroom routines, rebuild relationships and help pupils begin the new term with confidence rather than shame. You’ll discover: • Why January works better than September for behaviour resets • How to create whole-class “New Year resolutions” that shift identity, not just rules • A powerful symbolic activity to help individual pupils let go of last term’s mistakes • How to rebuild safety and trust with pupils who struggled in the autumn • Practical ways to re-teach routines, reduce sensory overload and reset the emotional climate • How January can lower PAIN-driven stress and improve SEMH outcomes across the class Whether you’re a teacher, SENCO or school leader, this episode gives you a clear, needs-led roadmap for starting the term calmer and more connected - so your pupils can thrive from day one. Perfect for any school looking to make January feel like a true fresh start, not “September, part two.” Important links: Get our FREE SEND Behaviour Handbook: https://beaconschoolsupport.co.uk/send-handbook Download other FREE behaviour resources for use in school: https://beaconschoolsupport.co.uk/resources School leaders: Join us at the National SEMH Conference (October 2026) It's a whole day focused on the real SEMH, behaviour and inclusion pressures facing schools - and what leaders can do next. Plus, right now you can get Super Early Bird tickets at £250 - find out more and book your place here.

When a pupil goes from “fine” to “furious” because you asked them to correct one sentence, it’s easy to think they’re overreacting. But for many children with ADHD, even small corrections can feel like rejection - triggering intense emotional pain known as Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria (RSD). In this episode of School Behaviour Secrets, you’ll learn what RSD actually is, why it’s so strongly linked with ADHD, and how it shows up in the classroom through explosive moments, sudden shutdowns, perfectionism, or quiet withdrawal. You’ll learn how feedback can unintentionally trigger RSD, why some pupils take even gentle corrections to heart, and the practical shifts teachers can make to reduce distress, support emotional regulation, and keep expectations high. We also share two simple strategies you can use this week to prevent blow-ups and help pupils feel safe enough to learn. If you’ve ever wondered, “Why did they react like that?” - this episode will give you the clarity and tools you need. Important links: Get our FREE SEND Behaviour Handbook: https://beaconschoolsupport.co.uk/send-handbook Download other FREE behaviour resources for use in school: https://beaconschoolsupport.co.uk/resources School leaders: Join us at the National SEMH Conference (October 2026) It's a whole day focused on the real SEMH, behaviour and inclusion pressures facing schools - and what leaders can do next. Plus, right now you can get Super Early Bird tickets at £250 - find out more and book your place here.