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School Behaviour Secrets with Simon Currigan and Emma Shackleton

School Behaviour Secrets with Simon Currigan and Emma Shackleton

Beacon School Support 276 episodes Latest Jun 1, 2026

This podcast offers research-backed strategies for teachers, SENCOs, and school leaders to support students with emotional and behavioral challenges. Hosts Simon Currigan and Emma Shackleton share practical classroom management techniques and insights for working with special needs like autism, ADHD, and attachment disorder. Each episode features interviews with education thought leaders and evidence-based approaches to help educators manage tricky classes and unlock student potential.

Episodes

Why Some Pupils Fall Apart After Lunch - And What Schools Can Do Jun 7, 2026 1635 Have you ever had a pupil come back from lunch looking fine - only to refuse work, argue, shout or completely fall apart minutes later?In this episode of School Behaviour Secrets, we explore why lunchtime isn’t always a break for every pupil. You’ll learn how social stress, sensory overload, unresolved conflict and tricky transitions can build up during lunch - then spill over into the afternoon l
When Behaviour Strategies Work… But Make Things Worse May 31, 2026 1703 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
Are We Mistaking Compliance For Regulation? (And Why It Matters) May 17, 2026 1646 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 l
Why Pupils Say “I Don’t Care” - And What To Do Next May 10, 2026 1361 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,
When Behaviour Seems To Come Out Of Nowhere: Understanding Stress Stacking May 3, 2026 1541 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 questi
The Hidden Causes of Attention-Seeking Behaviour Apr 26, 2026 1680 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 cho
Why Good School Strategies Fail - And How To Fix Them Apr 19, 2026 1633 Why do so many sensible school strategies fail, even when staff are trying their best?In this episode of School Behaviour Secrets, we explore one of the biggest challenges facing school leaders: consistency. Because having the right strategy is only half the battle - the real challenge is getting staff to understand it, apply it in practice and embed it over time.Using the example of restorative c
How Executive Function Can Trigger Student Dysregulation Apr 12, 2026 1576 What if a pupil’s dysregulation isn’t just about behaviour - but about hidden executive function demands they can’t yet manage?In this episode of School Behaviour Secrets, you’ll learn how difficulties with executive function can fuel frustration, overload and emotional dysregulation in the classroom. Using a concrete case study and the PAIN framework, we unpack how challenges with holding informa
SEND Reform Is Coming: What It Means For Behaviour And SEMH In Schools Mar 23, 2026 1408 The government’s new SEND reform paper proposes major changes to how schools support pupils with additional needs.But what does it actually mean for mainstream schools, teachers and SENCOs?In this episode of School Behaviour Secrets, we break down the key changes in the proposed SEND reforms and explains what they could mean for SEMH support in schools.You’ll learn:• Why mainstream schools will in
Why The Students Who Need Your Help the Most Are the Ones Who Reject It (Understanding Avoidant Attachment) Mar 16, 2026 1249 Some of the pupils who need the most support are the ones who refuse it.They say they’re fine. They push adults away. They avoid check-ins, mentoring and pastoral support - then struggle or explode under pressure.In this episode of School Behaviour Secrets, we explore why this happens, through the lens of avoidant attachment. Not as a label, but as a way of understanding why help itself can feel u
Why Social Media Makes Children’s Behaviour Worse (And How To Help) Mar 9, 2026 1202 Why do children sometimes say things online they would never say face to face?In this episode of School Behaviour Secrets, you’ll learn why social media can make behaviour escalate so quickly - and why it’s not simply about children being unkind. Drawing on psychology and real-world school experience, we explain how social media and messaging apps remove the natural feedback that helps children re
Emotional regulation is not a curriculum – and treating it like one backfires Mar 2, 2026 1381 Emotional regulation is not a curriculum - and treating it like one backfires.Many pupils can explain their emotions, name calming strategies, and talk confidently about what they “should” do… yet still struggle to cope when things get hard in the classroom.In this episode of School Behaviour Secrets, you’ll learn why teaching emotional regulation as a set of lessons often doesn’t work, and how sc

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