Positive Handling in Schools Training

Course content

1 The Course Structure

The Positive Handling training course opens with an overview of the course, and you’ll find out about learning outcomes and what you should expect from the course.

2 A Serious Business

Module two explores the extent of difficult behaviours in schools, the repercussions, and how the failure to correctly handle these situations could impact pupils and your career.

Two scenarios based on real life situations are given to highlight to you exactly how serious situations can become and you will hear about facts and statistics regarding incidents that have happened in schools.

The Department for Education advice document about the Use of Reasonable Force is explained, and you’ll hear about some of the different choices you may be faced with.

3 The Aggression Curve

This module looks at the mechanics of aggressive behaviour and explains what aggression is and how to diffuse potentially aggressive situations. The Kaplan Wheeler (1982) Model is examined in detail to help you understand the situations that might increase stress levels and consequently sometimes trigger aggression. A strong emphasis is placed on the ‘de-escalation’ phase, as well as avoiding the ‘crisis’ stage where possible.

4 The SCARF Model

In this section, you will hear about some of the techniques that can be used to bring aggressive behaviour under control. The SCARF (Status, Certainty, Autonomy, Relatedness, Fairness) Model is explained in detail to help you understand how the brain behaves and reacts to different stimulus – both positive and negative. The model is then related to the aggression curve in order to help you to better understand and manage behaviour in different circumstances.

Next, you’ll be given advice and tips that may be of use when you are de-escalating a potentially violent or aggressive child or pupil, these include information about body language, tone of voice and the words you choose to use.

To conclude this chapter, you’ll be given all the information you need about bullet-pointed De-Escalation Scripts and been shown examples of what might be included at each stage of the script.

5 Government Advice and Guidance

In this module, you’ll learn about the official advice that can be used as a basis to bring aggressive and violent situations under control. A link to the ‘Use of Reasonable Force’ booklet is included in this section and information from the booklet is examined and discussed.

Next, the use of reasonable force is explored in more detail and you’ll be given examples of different scenarios to help you to understand when and why you may be required to use reasonable force.

No Contact policies are briefly explained at the end of this section.

6 Making decisions: Duty of Care

This module deals with making decisions, duty of care and the use of reasonable force. You’ll learn about who ‘duty of care’ decisions apply to and hear more information about accepted behaviour in different situations.

The use of reasonable force is explained in more depth, and you’ll learn about when it is and isn’t acceptable to use reasonable force. Examples of reasonable force, proportionality and honestly held beliefs are explained, and you’ll also hear about different types of scenarios to help you understand some of the different types of situation that can occur.

7 The Law

This module looks at the Acts of Parliament that can affect the way you behave when dealing with aggressive pupils or children.

The Hierarchy of Law is explained and you’ll learn about the different acts that protect individuals.

The Health and Safety at Work Act is explained, with particular reference to Employer’s Duties to Employees, Employer’s Duties to Others and Duties of Employees.

8Physical Intervention and Restraint

This module looks at best practice when having to intervene and restrain a pupil who is endangering themselves or the people around them. The risks of intervening versus not intervening are examined and you’re reminded of the other steps that should be taken before using any form of restraint.

You’ll hear about the dangers of getting things wrong, explore positional asphyxia and learn about the restraint positions that must be avoided included those causing prolonged restraint and prolonged struggling.

Restraint techniques – an overview is given here as often you will receive practical sessions demonstrating the different recommended holds. Diagrams are used to show the different types of hold you can and cannot use.

9 Screening, Searching and Confiscation

The key features of the government document ‘Screening, Searching and Confiscation Advice’ are summarised so you will understand the types of screening and searching that can be undertaken in schools.

You’ll learn about searching with consent and what to do if a pupil does not give consent to being searched and the items that can be searched for.

You’ll explore what constitutes reasonable grounds for confiscation and the circumstances under which you can search a pupil and why.