Positive Behaviour Management - Guidance for Schools and Settings (including Plans & the use of Physical Intervention)

Aug 31, 2026

The guidance supports schools and settings in creating a positive environment that enables children and young people to develop appropriate behaviour within shared expectations and rules. It explains why negative behaviour sometimes requires active management to ensure safety and learning opportunities, stressing early, sensitive interpretation of behaviour as communication. It outlines the need for a Behaviour Policy and provides structured direction on Positive Behaviour Plans, risk assessment, restrictive physical intervention, incident recording, and related safeguarding considerations.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryPaper Templates

FormatDOCX

Pages56

Reading Time20 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Guiding Principles

Scope of Guidance

Legal Framework

The Positive Behaviour Plan (incorporating Risk Assessment)

Assessing Behaviour Risks

Dynamic Risk Assessment

Reducing the Risks

Selecting Strategies

Timeout, Withdrawal and Seclusion

Communicating Strategies

Monitoring and Review of PBPs

Restrictive Physical Intervention

Common Law and Statutory Law Power

Duty of Care

What is Reasonable Force?

Who Can use Reasonable Force?

When Can Reasonable Force be used?

Inappropriate Restrictive Physical Intervention Techniques

Power to Search Pupils without Consent

Communicating the School’s Approach to the Use of Reasonable Force

Incident Recording and Reporting Requirements

When to Involve the Police

Absconding

Dealing with Concerns and Complaints

Medication

Home-to-School Transport

Vulnerable Pupils

Pupils displaying Sexual or Sexually Abusive Behaviours

References and Useful Links

Appendix 1 – Guidance on completing Positive Behaviour Plan and a template for the plan

Appendix 2 – County Council Accident Incident Form (template example)

Appendix 3 – Guidance and Checklists for Evaluating Sexual Behaviour

Appendix 4 – Risk Matrix

Appendix 5 – Record Physical Intervention (Restrictive)

EMBED Word.Picture.8 Positive Behaviour Management Guidance for Schools and Settings (including Plans & the use of Physical Intervention) Contents TOC \o "1-3" \h \z \u HYPERLINK \l "_Toc529883466" 1. Introduction PAGEREF _Toc529883466 \h 4 HYPERLINK \l "_Toc529883467" 2 Guiding Principles PAGEREF _Toc529883467 \h 7 HYPERLINK \l "_Toc529883468" 3 Scope of Guidance PAGEREF _Toc529883468 \h 7 HYPERLINK \l "_Toc529883469" 3.1 Legal Framework PAGEREF _Toc529883469 \h 7 HYPERLINK \l "_Toc529883470" 4. The Positive Behaviour Plan (incorporating Risk Assessment) PAGEREF _Toc529883470 \h 7 HYPERLINK \l "_Toc529883471" 4.1 Assessing Behaviour Risks PAGEREF _Toc529883471 \h 8 HYPERLINK \l "_Toc529883472" 4.2 Dynamic Risk Assessment PAGEREF _Toc529883472 \h 9 HYPERLINK \l "_Toc529883473" 4.3 Reducing the Risks PAGEREF _Toc529883473 \h 9 HYPERLINK \l "_Toc529883474" 4.4 Selecting Strategies PAGEREF _Toc529883474 \h 11 HYPERLINK \l "_Toc529883475" 4.5 Timeout, Withdrawal and Seclusion, PAGEREF _Toc529883475 \h 12 HYPERLINK \l "_Toc529883476" 4.6 Communicating Strategies PAGEREF _Toc529883476 \h 12 HYPERLINK \l "_Toc529883477" 4.8 Monitoring and Review of PBPs PAGEREF _Toc529883477 \h 14 HYPERLINK \l "_Toc529883478" 5. Restrictive Physical Intervention PAGEREF _Toc529883478 \h 14 HYPERLINK \l "_Toc529883479" 5.1 Common Law and Statutory Law Power PAGEREF _Toc529883479 \h 15 HYPERLINK \l "_Toc529883480" 5.2 Duty of Care PAGEREF _Toc529883480 \h 15 HYPERLINK \l "_Toc529883481" 5.3 What is Reasonable Force? PAGEREF _Toc529883481 \h 16 HYPERLINK \l "_Toc529883482" 5.4 Who Can use Reasonable Force? PAGEREF _Toc529883482 \h 16 HYPERLINK \l "_Toc529883483" 5.5 When Can Reasonable Force be used? PAGEREF _Toc529883483 \h 16 HYPERLINK \l "_Toc529883484" 5.6 Inappropriate Restrictive Physical Intervention Techniques PAGEREF _Toc529883484 \h 17 HYPERLINK \l "_Toc529883485" 5.7 Power to Search Pupils without Consent PAGEREF _Toc529883485 \h 17 HYPERLINK \l "_Toc529883486" 5.8 Communicating the School’s Approach to the Use of Reasonable Force PAGEREF _Toc529883486 \h 18 HYPERLINK \l "_Toc529883487" 6. Incident Recording and Reporting Requirements PAGEREF _Toc529883487 \h 18 HYPERLINK \l "_Toc529883488" 7. When to Involve the Police PAGEREF _Toc529883488 \h 19 HYPERLINK \l "_Toc529883489" 8. Absconding PAGEREF _Toc529883489 \h 19 HYPERLINK \l "_Toc529883490" 9. Dealing with Concerns and Complaints PAGEREF _Toc529883490 \h 21 HYPERLINK \l "_Toc529883491" 10. Medication PAGEREF _Toc529883491 \h 21 HYPERLINK \l "_Toc529883492" 11. Home-to-School Transport PAGEREF _Toc529883492 \h 21 HYPERLINK \l "_Toc529883493" 12. Vulnerable Pupils PAGEREF _Toc529883493 \h 21 HYPERLINK \l "_Toc529883494" 13. Pupils displaying Sexual or Sexually Abusive Behaviours PAGEREF _Toc529883494 \h 24 HYPERLINK \l "_Toc529883495" References and Useful Links PAGEREF _Toc529883495 \h 25 HYPERLINK \l "_Toc529883496" Appendix 1 – Guidance on completing Positive Behaviour Plan and a template for the plan PAGEREF _Toc529883496 \h 26 HYPERLINK \l "_Toc529883497" How to complete a Positive Behaviour Plan (PBP) PAGEREF _Toc529883497 \h 26 HYPERLINK \l "_Toc529883498" Appendix 2 – County Council Accident Incident Form (template example) PAGEREF _Toc529883498 \h 36 HYPERLINK \l "_Toc529883499" Appendix 3 – Guidance and Checklists for Evaluating Sexual Behaviour (Primary/Nursery) PAGEREF _Toc529883499 \h 37 HYPERLINK \l "_Toc529883500" Appendix 4 – Risk Matrix PAGEREF _Toc529883500 \h 53 HYPERLINK \l "_Toc529883501" Appendix 5 – Record Physical Intervention (Restrictive) PAGEREF _Toc529883501 \h 54 IntroductionSchools and settings try to teach children to develop appropriate

FAQs

Why do schools and settings need guidance for behaviour management?

Most children respond well to a positive environment with shared expectations and rules. When negative behaviour arises, it must be actively managed to protect safety and enable learning opportunities.

How should staff interpret and respond to behaviour concerns?

Behaviour is treated as a form of communication. Staff are encouraged to consider what the behaviour may be signaling, such as panic, confusion, or unmet needs, and to act early with supportive strategies that reduce distress.

What is included in a Positive Behaviour Plan and why is risk assessment important?

The guidance requires schools to develop a Positive Behaviour Plan that incorporates risk assessment. It covers assessing and monitoring behaviour risks, choosing strategies, and communicating and reviewing approaches over time.

Aug 31, 2026

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