You, me and us

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You, me and us How a project set up by an LEA educational psychology service helped a school to support the inclusion of pupils with EBD DAV I D R . S M I T H C H R I S T R AV E L L

Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties ©     2004 S AG E P u bl i c at i o n s London,Thousand Oaks, CA and New Delhi  9(3) 171–180: 047806 1363-2752 (200409)9:3 DOI:10.1177/1363275204047806

Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council

LY N D S E Y WO RTO N

Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council

The mainstream inclusion of pupils who have emotional and behavioural difficulties presents a challenge to teachers and other related staff in schools. This challenge takes on greater significance when a school has been put into Special Measures following an unsuccessful OFSTED report where behaviour has been cited as a key area for improvement. This study looks at a joint approach that involved a school and the local education authority rising to this challenge, by setting up a project aimed at supporting pupils at risk of exclusion and developing a whole-school approach towards positive behaviour management.

A B S T R AC T

K E Y WO R D S

behaviour management; EBD; inclusion support; Special Measures

Background The school that is the focus of this study is a primary school with over 350 pupils, situated on a large council estate within the West Midlands where there is social and economic deprivation and a substantial amount of unemployment and disaffection. At the time of the study, two-thirds of pupils were eligible for free school meals, well above the national average. Furthermore, one-third of pupils were on the school’s register of special educational needs (SEN), with a significant number identified as having emotional and behavioural difficulties (EBD). A new headteacher was appointed from September 1996 and during the autumn term she identified several major issues that she felt were almost certain to place the school in the category of Special Measures when the school received an OFSTED inspection. These issues included very low 171

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attainment and progress throughout the school, the existence of a large percentage of pupils with behavioural difficulties, and the inappropriateness and physical state of the learning environment. In January 1997, in response to the concerns highlighted to the local education authority (LEA) by the headteacher, the educational psychology service (EPS) conducted a survey with an emphasis on the behavioural concerns. From this survey, 34 pupils were identified as having EBD that severely affected the learning ability of themselves and others. They were judged to need assessment and support from resources that the school, in its current situation, would be unable to provide. A further 47 pupils were identified as having EBD that would need support through the school’s behaviour policy. From February 1997, the school began to address issues of attainment and progress, ethos and behaviour, curriculum planning and delivery, and the learning environment. The OFSTED inspection took place in the last full week of the summer term, 1997. The inspectors, whilst recognizing the considerable improvements that had been made within the school, judged that Special Measures were required. Four key issues were identified, with one indicating that the behaviour of a significant number of pupils remained a barrier to both their own learning and that of other pupils. In their 1997 report the inspectors recommended that priority should be given to improving the behaviour of pupils through: • further in-service training for teachers in managing behaviour • the consistent implementation of a behaviour policy and the frequent monitoring and evaluation of its impact • promoting greater respect and tolerance of others. It would be easy to understand and sympathize with staff had they felt the inclusion of pupils with behavioural difficulties might be to the detriment of the majority and adversely affect the chances of the school coming out of Special Measures. However, members of staff at the school were determined to maintain a positive approach and to work together to find an inclusive solution to the problem. They wanted to move away from the notion that behaviour difficulties were solely within the pupil and preferred instead to look at other factors that they, as a school community, might be able to influence. It was the view of the EPS that this attitude should be fostered for, as Hill and Parsons (2000) recognize, it is important to encourage schools to initiate more dynamic relationships with external agencies by taking responsibility for finding solutions to challenging behaviour through mutual support.

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S M I T H E T A L . : YO U, M E A N D U S

Setting up the project The concept of a project for the inclusion of pupils with EBD came out of discussions following the receipt of the OFSTED report and the formulation of the subsequent school and LEA action plans. The school proposed to the LEA that provision to support these pupils should be made within the school setting as staff believed that inclusion in mainstream schools was the way forward for them. They also felt that there was a need to ensure stability and consistency of approach for a vulnerable group of pupils and to more effectively address the needs of a large group of disaffected pupils. Coincidentally, although six of the pupils, all boys, already had statements of SEN identifying significant EBD, there was insufficient capacity within the LEA’s off-site EBD provision for them to attend, although one of them was already attending on a part-time basis. In order to assist the school and LEA to overcome these difficulties, the EPS set up a project, funded by the LEA, to provide in-house support. A teacher and a nursery nurse (NNEB), both experienced in working with pupils with EBD, were appointed to set up and run the project. Their brief was primarily to support the school in addressing the emotional and behavioural needs of pupils with statements of special educational needs, but also to provide some level of support for other pupils at Stage 3 of the Code of Practice (DfE, 1994) for EBD. A further remit was to provide advice and training for teaching and support staff regarding emotional and behavioural development and difficulties. The LEA assisted the school by providing the funds to set up a behaviour support room within the school, furnished and decorated in a comfortable and welcoming way. The intention was that the room would provide a calming environment in which pupils could discuss their emotional and behavioural problems and successes, and where they could learn techniques to manage their own behaviour in order for them to be able to continue to access learning. Above all, it was designed to give them access to a person who was available and willing to listen to them. It was an original concept for any school within the LEA to have a room set aside entirely for the purpose of using positive approaches to addressing pupils’ emotional and behavioural difficulties. From the outset, it was stressed to staff that this room was not to be considered a punishment or detention room, but rather as a room in which pupils’ behavioural difficulties could be addressed in a positive and supportive manner.

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The project The recognition that behaviour problems may arise from several factors is an important feature of an ecosystemic approach. Cole states that: According to this perspective the pupil is part of a web of interconnecting systems: the internal physical and mental systems of the pupil which interact with the classroom system; the school system; the neighbourhood system; and, importantly, the family system. (1998, p. 122)

In order for the project to succeed it was important that consideration was given to the school environment so that any barriers to appropriate behaviour were reduced. The school had already begun to implement this by revising the behaviour policy, looking at teaching styles, pursuing the adoption of positive behaviour management techniques, making positive alterations to the physical environment and exploring ways of making parents feel more welcome in the school and less threatened. This latter was an important point as it allowed the school to form a partnership in which it worked with parents to facilitate improvements. Initial meetings were arranged between the project team, the headteacher, the special needs coordinator (SENCO) and the class teachers to provide a background to the perceived difficulties of the pupils. It was important to ascertain the exact behaviours that were causing concern, rather than unspecific ones such as ‘he’s naughty in class’. Once these concerns had been noted, it was possible to make a series of observations, both in class and on the playground, in order to ascertain the level and type of support that was needed. Fogell and Long (1997) recognize the importance of making and recording observations for obtaining a better understanding of the pupils’ difficulties and for evaluating whether interventions are effective. They contend that without such observations it is possible to miss small signs of improvement. These observations and discussions led to a hypothesis that a major factor at the root of the behavioural difficulties exhibited by many of the pupils in the school was low self-esteem. McNamara and Moreton (1995) see self-esteem fitting into the hierarchy of needs established by Maslow (cited in Greenhalgh, 1994). They see it as the next important basic need after the essential needs for food, water, security and belonging. It was important therefore that any intervention strategies should have elements to boost the pupils’ belief in themselves. The targeted pupils, all of whom had statements relating to EBD, were met on an individual basis so that they could get to know the team and build a trusting relationship. It was explained to them that the team were in the school to help them develop strategies to improve their behaviour. 174

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Emphasis was placed on a firm belief that they were capable of making these changes. Each pupil was given an individual, achievable target that was reviewed every week. It was important to enlist the support of each pupil’s class and group teacher in encouraging them to achieve the target, and in recording and feeding back to the pupil whether or not the target had been achieved. In order to help pupils achieve their targets, the project team provided an element of in-class support to reinforce the work of the individual sessions. This also gave teachers someone with whom they could talk regarding their perception of problems posed by the pupil’s behaviour and assisted them to move towards labelling the behaviour rather than the pupil. It gave the opportunity to model ‘least to most intrusive’ interventions such as privately understood signals, which Rogers (1994; 1998) sees as being helpful (and underrated) primary reinforcers, and to feed back to the teacher on strategies that were used or might be useful to use for observed incidents. Long and Fogell (1999) recognize that, apart from helping teachers to look beyond their personal resources to assist pupils, there are times when teachers need confirmation that the strategies they are using are appropriate. The effectiveness of the in-class support was noted by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate (HMI) in 1999 in its fourth monitoring inspection report: ‘The effectiveness of this support was observed in a lesson at upper Key Stage 2, where pupils receiving support were enabled to participate fully in the plenary session.’ The observations also provided information for subsequent individual sessions with the pupil whereby, as well as focusing on strategies to decrease the frequency of inappropriate behaviour, there was the opportunity to praise the pupil for selecting appropriate choices of behaviour. Through the use of positive praise and rewards, including non-verbal praise and proximity praise for other pupils, it was hoped to raise the self-esteem of the pupils, especially when the rewards incorporated the encouragement of peer support through the use of class or group rather than individual rewards. To further assist the evolution of peer support, each pupil on the project was given additional support through small group work, based on the concept of circle time (Mosley, 1996). This took place in the behaviour support room, where the calm and welcoming atmosphere, enhanced by relaxing music, encouraged a positive environment. These sessions were intended to enable the pupils to develop social skills such as turn taking, sharing, respect for others and problem solving, and to improve their selfesteem. The fact that they were conducted in a fun way meant that the pupils looked forward to them every week. 175

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Morris (1999) recognizes the value of individual support through circle time, within which personal and interpersonal relationships are developed within a group and where a supportive climate can be developed to encourage mature, responsible social behaviour.

Support towards calmer lunchtimes In order that a wider school perspective could be accommodated and not just classroom behaviour, the team ran a course on positive behaviour management for lunchtime supervisors. This not only enabled the supervisors to voice their concerns about the difficulties they faced at lunchtimes, but also gave them the opportunity to reflect on the things that were going well. It was essential to raise the self-esteem and status of lunchtime supervisors, and one small step towards achieving this was in providing them with name badges so that they were called by their names, rather than being known just as ‘the dinner lady’, not only by pupils but also by staff. By allowing them to express their concerns and by making a whole-school commitment to address these concerns, they began to feel more a part of the whole-school team, and through the training provided on the course they became much more confident in their ability to fulfil their responsibilities effectively. A system was established for recording inappropriate behaviour that needed following up, but that would also allow the recording of positive interactions. By encouraging lunchtime supervisors to record positive comments about pupils and by providing them with a system of stickers and certificates to give for appropriate behaviour, the project empowered the supervisors to be part of the whole-school drive towards a positive approach, and they were seen by pupils to be actively praising good behaviour. This positive approach towards pupils, and the development and encouragement of play skills through circle time sessions and through physical education lessons, helped to divert pupils away from the more aggressive type of activities. When difficulties did arise, the lunchtime staff were more able to deal with them appropriately and consistently through established systems which reflected the approach used by staff during breaktimes. It was recognized that for some pupils the playgrounds, although full of children, were often lonely places. It was to help these individuals that pupils from Year 6 were encouraged and trained to become playground friends. Their responsibility was to play with children on the Key Stage 1 playground and to encourage children who looked lonely or sad. A 176

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‘friendship stop’ was put in the playground, and pupils who were lonely and wanted someone to play with them would go by the stop. The playground friends, or any other pupils who saw them, would either play with them or help them to find others who would play with them. This system was explained to pupils in an assembly so that they all knew how to use it. The effectiveness in the use of older children to be playground friends and in the provision of a friendship stop was commented on by HMI in 1999 in its fifth monitoring inspection report, where it was recognized as ‘a useful development which provides support for the younger children and involves some of the older children in a constructive role’.

Data collection and analysis The school had already installed a system for the management of negative behaviour in the classroom, which at the time of this report was still operational. It consists of positive, least intrusive interventions, followed by a hierarchical scale of consequences if these interventions fail to work, as described, for example, by Canter and Canter (1992). The main element of this sanction system is one which Rogers (1998) describes as certainty rather than severity. The pupils are given the opportunity to correct their behaviour before their names are written on a behaviour chart. The first time their names are put on the chart is a warning about their behaviour. If they continue with inappropriate behaviour they are put on the chart to stay behind for 1 minute at the end of the session. Any further instances within the session result in the lengthening of time that they will need to stay behind, first to 3 minutes and then to 5 minutes. The next instance results in 5 minutes time-out in another classroom. The system starts afresh at the beginning of every session and upon return from time-out. Prior to the involvement of the project team there had been no analysis of this procedure. In order to make use of the raw data, the team set up and put in place a system for the analysis of the classroom behaviour sheets, along with a completely new system for the recording and analysis of breaktime and lunchtime behaviour. Both sets of analysis information served to inform the project team and the headteacher/senior management team on the progress of behaviour improvements in the school. It also provided early information on pupils whose behaviour was showing signs of deterioration, so that early, proactive intervention could be put in place. By effective monitoring it was possible to notice when improvements in a pupil’s behaviour had been made and this provided opportunities to recognize and praise these improvements, thus providing the pupils with positive feedback. 177

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Additional elements of the project In addition to the main focus, the project team also assisted the school with several other developments. These included: • consultation and assistance to teachers concerning other pupils not directly supported by the project • observation of other individual pupils at the request of the school’s educational psychologist • feedback of the results of observations to the educational psychologist and school staff • setting up of strategies requested by the educational psychologist, such as ‘circles of friends’ • development and running of an induction course for newly qualified teachers on positive behaviour management techniques • preparation of pupils for secondary school transfer • production of resources, such as target sheets and certificates.

Comments about the effectiveness of the project In 1998 in its third monitoring inspection report HMI noted that: The LEA has given good support to the school . . . Additional support for managing the behaviour of pupils with emotional and behavioural difficulties (EBD) has been provided by a teacher and NNEB employed by the LEA. The aims of the support have been identified clearly and its effectiveness has been monitored and evaluated. It has contributed to a visible reduction in the incidence of challenging behaviour by pupils.

HMI noted in June 1999 that progress had been ‘consolidated and extended’ to an extent that ‘The challenging behaviour of a small minority of pupils no longer affects the general atmosphere of the school’. Staff commented that they felt supported because they could call on the support of the project staff and were able to discuss problems and strategies. They appreciated the in-class support for identified children and the suggestions of a variety of strategies to assist them to deal more effectively with inappropriate behaviour. The lunchtime supervisors added that they felt that even though the project had reached its conclusion, they believed that the good work would continue as they felt more able to cope with difficult behaviour at lunchtimes. Pupils commented favourably on the support they had been given. For example, one pupil stated he was pleased because he at last had someone who would listen to him, and he noticed other staff within school were listening to him more. 178

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The final stage of the project The work with pupils started in spring 1998 and finished in summer 2000, when all the pupils who had been targeted for the support had moved on to secondary school. The project then entered its final phase during which there was a term of limited intervention where there was no direct involvement with pupils. This transitional term was used to provide a consultative role and to support staff in the school to take over the administration of the systems put in place during the project. The project team has since revisited the school, at the request of the headteacher, in order to provide a follow-up course for lunchtime supervisors, both as a refresher and as an induction for newly appointed staff. The team noticed that the positive attitudes that had developed as a result of the initial intervention had been sustained and new staff were enthusiastic to adopt a positive behaviour management approach. The project has since moved on to other schools within the LEA, in some cases as the direct result of recommendations from the headteacher of the focus school.

Conclusion The project supported school structures already in place and helped to develop new structures. It was seen as an integral part of the school instead of being an ‘add-on’, and would not have worked without these school structures. The headteacher recognized the impact of the project and appreciated the extent to which staff accepted the interventions that were put in place. She stated that the school climate had been created whereby the project staff were seen as being there to help support pupils, not to remove ‘naughty pupils’. The success of the project is testament to the strong desire of the staff to build an inclusive caring environment through the use of a systemic approach. It was essential that interventions were made at all levels – individual, group, class and whole school. By maintaining a desire to build a whole-school approach to positive behaviour management, the school made significant improvements to its ethos and behaviour such that, in a subsequent inspection by HMI, progress in behaviour was recognized as good. This, along with other improvements within the school, led to its removal from Special Measures and into the less controversial category of Serious Weaknesses. The school has since had another OFSTED inspection. Noted under the heading ‘What the school does well’ in the report is the remark, ‘Attitudes are very good and behaviour is good’. The report states that progress has been made such that ‘serious weaknesses no longer exist’. 179

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The intervention that helped lead to this improvement showed the benefit of developing a whole-school systemic approach rather than adopting isolated remedies. It really was a case of ‘you, me and us’. References

Canter, L. & Canter, M. (1992) Assertive Discipline: Positive Behaviour Management in Today’s Classroom. Santa Monica, CA: Lee Canter and Associates. Cole, T. (1998) ‘Understanding Challenging Behaviour: Prerequisites to Inclusion’, in C. Tilstone, L. Florian & R. Rose (eds) Promoting Inclusive Practice. London: Routledge. DfE (1994) Code of Practice on the Identification and Assessment of Special Educational Needs. London: HMSO. Fogell, J. & Long, R. (1997) Spotlight on Special Educational Needs: Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties. Tamworth: NASEN. Greenhalgh, P. (1994) Emotional Growth and Learning. London: Routledge. Hill, F. & Parsons, L. (2000) Teamwork in the Management of Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties. London: Fulton. Long, R. & Fogell, J. (1999) Supporting Pupils with Emotional Difficulties: Creating a Caring Environment for All. London: Fulton. McNamara, S. & Moreton, G. (1995) Changing Behaviour. London: Fulton. Morris, S. (1999) ‘Managing the Social Dynamics of the Classroom’, in J. Leadbetter, S. Morris, P. Timmins, G. Knight & D. Traxon (eds) Applying Psychology in the Classroom. London: Fulton. Mosley, J. (1996) Quality Circle Time in the Primary Classroom. Wisbech: LDA. Rogers, B. (1994) Behaviour Recovery. Harlow: Longman. Rogers, B. (1998) You Know the Fair Rule. London: Pitman. Correspondence should be addressed to: DAV I D R . S M I T H . e-mail: [email protected] C H R I S T R AV E L L . e-mail: [email protected] LY N D S E Y WO RT O N . e-mail: [email protected]

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