Preventing School Disaffection and Exclusion

A Solution Focused Approach to Preventing Disaffection & Exclusion

"Within 24 hours, I was conscious of language I used with our children. We are setting up training for our Pastoral Team. It completely revolutionised the way I think and deal with our challenging pupils. I have been teaching for 27 years and this was the best training, the most energising, enlightening and inspirational 2 days I have ever spent" Pat Lalley, Assistant Head, St Cuthberts Catholic Community College, St Helens
             
1/2/3 day Solution Focused training courses for staff including Teachers, SENCOs, Learning Mentors, Learning Assistants, Education Welfare and Educational Pyschology staff.

 
City of Salford Education Welfare Officers and Family Support workers following their 3 day training in our Solution Focused Preventing Disaffection & Exclusion course.

Talking about the small achievements of today and being curious about tomorrow is always more attractive to young people than highlighting where they went wrong yesterday.

Used as part of Crisis intervention, Pastoral Care; Classroom Management or at Reviews - this approach has been instrumental in helping pupils to break negative patterns in order to concentrate on the start of new behaviour.

The course provides staff withSolution Focused language and structures and the resources of the Examine, Repair & Move On Approach (Murphy '93) including The Change Balloon; Scaling Walk, The Relationship Map, The Silent Session and Monitoring Charts  to work with issues including:

• Low-level disruption issues
• Managing Challenging Behaviour
• Engaging the most resistant pupil and family
• Using the Approach over the telephone with attendance/ punctuality issues
• Collaborative Language with parents and pupils
• Developing a whole-school approach for Pastoral Care
• Motivating the Unmotivated Pupil and Family (3 day minimum)
• Crisis Intervention to prevent exclusion

Also available:Solution Focused Pupil Parent Support Worker (PPSW) training:
Following the Victoria Climbie enquiry and Lord Laming’s emphasis on Multi-agency working, many schools have identified a gap in their ability to provide family work with families of the local school community.  Those schools who have had the benefit of engaging parents via family work have reported a clear shift in the improvement of attendance, behaviour and reduction in exclusion and also a better home and school liaison.

Solution Focused Training with the Behaviour Improvement Programme Team in Reading

Education staff in East Lothian, Scotland, have found the approach useful in reducing their exclusion rates  The Times Education Supplement reports how Head Teacher, Jim Cassidy, in East Lothian utilized the approach following our training. The Consultancy were later commissioned to train Probation Teachers at the start of their career - these evaluations can be seen on our Evaluations Map.

The Guardian newspaper's inclusion of our response to a behaviour problem gives an example of how useful this approach can be at Review meetings.

Further courses available for Education Staff:

Introduction to Solution Focused Approaches: 

1 day course for all staff to highlight how they can introduce positive behaviour strategies and work within a whole school ethos.

The Solution Focused School training programme.

This training programme is appropriate for schools and EWO Teams who wish to implement a new structure and ethos to reduce non-attendance; help pupils achieve and equip staff with positive behaviour strategies to achieve best outcomes for all . Offered over 7 or 12 day courses - the training includes liaison and consultation with the School/Team and advice on small-step changes that can provide a watershed in ethos.

For details about further courses for Education staff and to discuss arranging an in-house course - please contact the Consultancy on Tel: 0208 947 8093 or office Mobile 07779 242 289 or email: info@brief-therapy-uk.com