Positive Handling in Schools: The impact of DfE Guidance on Restrictive Interventions

by Kate Lindop | May 2, 2026 | Blog, News and Updates, Health and Safety, Industry and Technology News, News, Social Care

Positive handling in schools has become critical due to a rise in challenging behaviours and emotional dysregulation among students, demanding a shift towards proactive, non-punitive, and safe intervention strategies. Positive handling in schools focuses on de-escalation, building trust and protecting students and staff while ensuring compliance with legal standards regarding ‘reasonable force’. As behavioural challenges in schools increase, the need for safe, trained and preventative positive handling approaches has never been greater.

From 1 April 2026, the Department for Education (DfE) updated its guidance on ‘Restrictive Interventions, including the use of reasonable force in schools‘, replacing previous guidance and strengthening expectations around safeguarding and accountability. The revised framework reinforces that any use of force must never be used as a form of punishment, discipline or to secure compliance. Instead, it places clear emphasis on prevention, early intervention and de-escalation, alongside the development of positive handling plans for pupils identified as higher risk. Schools are also now expected to ensure that all significant incidents involving the use of force are formally recorded and communicated to parents or carers in a timely and transparent way.

What was once considered best practice is now firmly embedded as expectation: prevention, de-escalation, clear decision-making, and robust staff training are essential to safeguarding compliance and pupil safety.

Challenging behaviour in schools is rising 

In England, there were 787,000+ suspensions in the 2022/23 academic year, alongside over 9,000 permanent exclusions, with disruptive behaviour being the leading reason. The trend has continued upward post-pandemic. More information and education statistics are available via the Department for Education (DfE) – Suspensions and Permanent Exclusions Statistics.

Rising suspensions show schools are dealing with increasingly complex behaviour challenges. Positive handling, de-escalation and preventative behaviour strategies are essential to keep pupils safe, avoid crisis situations, and reduce exclusion.

The Department for Education’s National Behaviour Survey shows that behaviour management continues to be a major issue for schools, while fairness, consistency and relationships are increasingly recognised as important. In the latest DfE behaviour survey, only 18% of pupils said school behaviour rules were applied fairly “all of the time”, while 44% said “most of the time.” Teacher perceptions of fairness have improved but behaviour management remains a central concern.

What is Positive Handling in Schools?

Positive handling in schools is the proactive, planned and legal use of supportive strategies including the use of “reasonable force” as a last resort (only using physical intervention when absolutely necessary), to manage challenging behaviour from students – in order to help protect students from harm and to prevent damage to people and property. It focuses on safety, prioritises de-escalation and communication, and in maintaining the dignity of children. Positive handling in schools training supports staff who are having to make split-second decisions every day to keep children safe – often in highly challenging, fast-moving, and emotionally charged situations. Positive handling in schools is underpinned by safeguarding principles and legal frameworks, ensuring that any intervention is:

• Reasonable
• Proportionate
• Necessary
• The least restrictive option available

At its core, positive handling is not about restraint , it is about preventing situations from reaching crisis point wherever possible.

Why positive handling in schools is increasingly important

Recently, schools have received increased pressure in relation to behaviour management and pupil wellbeing. The updated Department for Education guidance has reinforced expectations around safe behaviour management, stating: “School staff have the power to use reasonable force to prevent pupils from hurting themselves or others, from damaging property, or from causing disorder.”

Alongside this, schools are expected to demonstrate stronger evidence of:

• Incident recording and reporting
• Clear safeguarding decision-making
• Parental communication and transparency
• Staff competence in behaviour management and intervention

This shift means schools must now be able to justify not only what actions were taken, but why those decisions were appropriate at the time.

What is positive handling in practice?

In practice, positive handling in schools is a graduated response system that includes:

• Prevention – Understanding triggers and removing escalation risks early.
• De-escalation – Using communication, tone, and environment management to reduce tension.
• Supportive intervention – Offering structured choices and boundaries without confrontation.
• Physical intervention – Only as a ‘last resort’ when there is an immediate risk of harm to the pupil or others.

Understanding behaviour: The Aggression Curve

The Aggression Curve is a widely used framework in schools to understand how behaviour escalates. Understanding this cycle is essential for reducing the need for physical intervention. The stages include:

1. Trigger Phase  A pupil experiences a stressor (e.g. conflict, academic pressure, sensory overload).Early intervention is most effective here. 2. Escalation Phase Behaviour begins to intensify (e.g. refusal, agitation, raised voice). Staff should remain calm and avoid confrontation. 3. Crisis Phase Behaviour may become unsafe or physically aggressive. Safety becomes the priority and intervention may be required. 4. Recovery Phase Emotional state begins to stabilise. Space and calm are essential. 5. Post-Crisis Phase Emotional fatigue, embarrassment or distress may occur. Reflection and restorative support are key.

Legal framework and Duty of Care in schools

Positive handling sits within several key pieces of UK legislation:

• Education and Inspections Act 2006 – permits reasonable force
• Children Act 1989 & 2004 – welfare of the child is paramount
• Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 – duty to protect staff and pupils
• Equality Act 2010 – ensures fair and non-discriminatory practice

Schools also operate under a clear duty of care, meaning staff must take reasonable steps to prevent foreseeable harm. This requires staff to consider:

• Is there immediate risk of harm?
• Has de-escalation been attempted?
• What is the least restrictive option?
• Is intervention proportionate to risk?

Physical intervention and restraint

Physical intervention should always be a last resort. It may only be used when there is an immediate risk of harm, for example:

• Preventing injury to a pupil or staff member
• Stopping serious damage to property
• Preventing a pupil from entering a dangerous situation

However, intervention must always be:

• Reasonable
• Proportionate
• Time-limited
• Carried out by trained staff wherever possible

Incorrect restraint techniques can result in serious harm, which is why training and consistency are critical.

Following any incident, schools should:

• Record what happened clearly and objectively
• Inform parents/carers
• Review the incident to inform future practice

Screening, searching and confiscation

Schools also have legal powers to search pupils for prohibited items, including:

• Weapons
• Drugs
• Alcohol
• Stolen property
• Fireworks
• Offensive or illegal material

In most cases:

• Searches should be carried out by trained staff
• A witness should be present
• Pupil dignity must be maintained at all times

These powers support safeguarding and help maintain safe learning environments.

Why positive handing in schools training is essential for school staff in 2026

Factors that often influence the need for staff training are regulatory change, guidance and expectations.

With increasing scrutiny from safeguarding bodies and updated Department for Education expectations, schools must be able to evidence:

• Consistent staff training
• Safe behaviour management procedures
• Accurate incident recording
• Defensible decision-making under pressure

Without training, staff are expected to make complex safeguarding decisions in real time without the tools to do so safely.

As one Ofsted-aligned safeguarding principle states: “Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility, and effective training is essential to ensure staff act appropriately and confidently in safeguarding situations.”

Positive Handling in Schools Training 

To support schools in meeting the new guidance and expectations from the DfE, our Positive Handling in Schools Training online course provides structured, practical learning covering:

• Behaviour escalation and the aggression curve
• De-escalation strategies and communication techniques, including the SCARF model
• Legal guidance and reasonable force frameworks
• Safe principles of physical intervention
• Incident management and professional decision-making

This training is designed for teachers, teaching assistants, pastoral staff, SEN teams, safeguarding leads, and wider education professionals.

Conclusion

Positive handling in schools is not simply about responding to behaviour incidents, it is about preventing escalation, protecting wellbeing, and ensuring legal and professional accountability in every decision. With updated guidance from the Department for Education and increasing behavioural pressures across schools, staff training is no longer optional. It is a core safeguarding requirement.

Schools that invest in structured positive handling training are better equipped to:

• Prevent incidents before they escalate
• Reduce reliance on physical intervention
• Improve staff confidence and consistency
• Strengthen safeguarding outcomes

If your school is reviewing its behaviour management approach or looking to strengthen staff confidence in handling challenging situations safely, investing in structured training is a practical next step. The Positive Handling in Schools Online Training Course  provides clear, scenario-based guidance on de-escalation, lawful decision-making and safe intervention, helping staff apply policy confidently in real-world situations. To find out more about the course or discuss how it can support your organisation, please contact us or click the link above to purchase directly.