School Behaviour Secrets with Simon Currigan and Emma Shackleton

Have you ever used a behaviour strategy that worked brilliantly in the moment - only to find the same behaviour came back again the next day? And the next?
In this episode of School Behaviour Secrets, we explore why some short-term behaviour strategies appear to work because they reduce the immediate tension but can accidentally teach pupils or whole classes habits that make behaviour harder in the long run.
Most importantly, you’ll discover three simple questions that help break the cycle and move you – and your students - forwards.
Important links:
Get our FREE SEND Behaviour Handbook: https://beaconschoolsupport.co.uk/send-handbook
Download other FREE behaviour resources for use in school: https://beaconschoolsupport.co.uk/resources.php
School leaders: Join us at the National SEMH Conference (October 2026)
It's a whole day focused on the real SEMH, behaviour and inclusion pressures facing schools - and what leaders can do next. Plus, right now you can get Super Early Bird tickets at £250 - find out more and book your place here.

Are the quiet, compliant pupils in your classroom genuinely regulated - or just holding everything together?
In this episode of School Behaviour Secrets, we explore the important tension between compliance and regulation. Because while schools absolutely need routines, boundaries and clear expectations, “doing what we asked” doesn’t always mean a pupil is calm, settled or coping underneath.
You’ll learn why some pupils can appear fine in school but collapse at home, how masking and shutdown can be mistaken for good behaviour, and why visible compliance can sometimes hide anxiety, sensory overload, confusion or fear of getting things wrong.
By the end, you’ll have a clearer way to spot pupils who may be quietly struggling and support them without lowering expectations or removing important boundaries.
Important links:
Get our FREE SEND Behaviour Handbook: https://beaconschoolsupport.co.uk/send-handbook
Download other FREE behaviour resources for use in school: https://beaconschoolsupport.co.uk/resources.php
School leaders: Join us at the National SEMH Conference (October 2026)
It's a whole day focused on the real SEMH, behaviour and inclusion pressures facing schools - and what leaders can do next. Plus, right now you can get Super Early Bird tickets at £250 - find out more and book your place here.

What should you do when a pupil looks you in the eye, shrugs and says, “I don’t care”? It’s one of those classroom moments that can easily pull adults into a power battle. But while they sound disrespectful or deliberately provocative - what if those three words are not the whole story?
In this episode of School Behaviour Secrets, we explore what pupils might really be communicating when they say, “I don’t care,” why taking the words at face value can lead us in the wrong direction, and what to say and do when a pupil uses them to pull you into a confrontation.
If you work with pupils who appear disengaged or hard to reach, and want to understand what’s really driving their behaviour, this episode will help you respond in a way that de-escalates tensions and opens the door to their re-engagement.
Important links:
Check our Behaviour 360 here: https://beaconschoolsupport.co.uk/behaviour_360
Download other FREE behaviour resources for use in school: https://beaconschoolsupport.co.uk/resources.php
School leaders: Join us at the National SEMH Conference (October 2026)
It's a whole day focused on the real SEMH, behaviour and inclusion pressures facing schools - and what leaders can do next. Plus, right now you can get Super Early Bird tickets at £250 - find out more and book your place here.

When a pupil explodes over something small, it can look like their behaviour came out of nowhere.
But what if that “tiny trigger” wasn’t really the cause - just the final bit of pressure they could no longer cope with?
In this episode, you’ll learn how stress stacking affects dysregulated behaviour, why looking for one simple trigger can lead schools down the wrong path, and how to ask better questions after an incident so support is matched to the pupil’s real needs.
You’ll also hear a practical case study showing how hidden stressors - from poor sleep and sensory overload to social stress, shame and task demands - can build up beneath the surface long before behaviour becomes visible.
Important links:
Get our FREE SEND Behaviour Handbook: https://beaconschoolsupport.co.uk/send-handbook
Download other FREE behaviour resources for use in school: https://beaconschoolsupport.co.uk/resources.php
School leaders: Join us at the National SEMH Conference (October 2026)
It's a whole day focused on the real SEMH, behaviour and inclusion pressures facing schools - and what leaders can do next. Plus, right now you can get Super Early Bird tickets at £250 - find out more and book your place here.

Why do so many sensible school strategies fail, even when staff are trying their best?
In this episode, you’ll learn why attention-seeking behaviour is often a misleading label - and why two pupils can show very similar behaviour for completely different reasons.
Using the PAIN framework, you’ll discover how to look beneath the surface, identify the hidden drivers behind a child’s behaviour, and choose responses that actually match their needs.
You’ll also learn why adult attention can change behaviour in the short term, but won’t solve the problem on its own unless you understand what that attention is doing for the child in the first place.
If you work in a school and want a more thoughtful, SEMH-first way to understand behaviour, this episode will help you think more clearly about your students’ needs and how to support them.
Important links:
Get our FREE SEND Behaviour Handbook: https://beaconschoolsupport.co.uk/send-handbook
Download other FREE behaviour resources for use in school: https://beaconschoolsupport.co.uk/resources.php
School leaders: Join us at the National SEMH Conference (October 2026)
It's a whole day focused on the real SEMH, behaviour and inclusion pressures facing schools - and what leaders can do next. Plus, right now you can get Super Early Bird tickets at £250 - find out more and book your place here.