School Behaviour Secrets with Simon Currigan and Emma Shackleton
Are you a teacher, a SENCo or a school leader?
Want research-backed strategies for supporting students who find it hard to manage their emotions or behaviour? Want practical ways of supporting pupils with special needs like autism, ADHD, FASD or attachment disorder? Want tried-and-tested classroom management strategies that will work with that ‘tricky class’?
Then you’re in the right place.
Welcome to the School Behaviour Secrets podcast where we’ll answer ALL these questions and so much more! Week after week, your hosts Simon Currigan and Emma Shackleton share the secrets to behaviour success that every teacher and school leader should know, all based on their decades of experience supporting real teachers and real students in real classrooms.
But that’s not all...We also interview thought leaders from the world of education so you can hear NEW insights that could hold the key to unlocking your students’ potential. Whether it’s managing the whole class, helping kids with behavioural SEN, or whole school strategy - we’ve got you covered.
Are you in? Brilliant. Because this is YOUR CHANCE to get unstuck, hear from the experts, feel inspired and start seeing more positive behaviour in your classroom again. So hit that subscribe button... and let’s get started!
Episodes
291 episodes
Emotional regulation is not a curriculum – and treating it like one backfires
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 h...
Kids Aren’t Less Resilient - We’re Training It Out Of Our Students
More children are struggling to cope with small setbacks in school.Mistakes feel overwhelming. Frustration escalates quickly. And learning grinds to a halt.In this episode of School Behaviour Secrets, we explore why this ...
Why “Be More Assertive” Is Bad Advice – And What Actually Works in Classrooms
Teachers are often told they need to be “more assertive” in the classroom.But what does that actually mean when behaviour starts to wobble, pressure rises, and everyone’s watching?In this episode of School Behaviour Secrets
The SENCO Bottleneck: Why the Role Is Becoming Impossible in Caring Schools
In many schools, the SENCO role has become the pressure point where everything ends up - SEND, SEMH, behaviour, parent concerns, paperwork and managing crises and pupil outbursts.And when that happens, how SEND and SEMH is supported acro...
7 Reasons Why Good Behaviour Policies Fail in Good Schools (And What Leaders Miss)
On paper, your behaviour policy makes sense… so why doesn’t it work in every classroom - and for every pupil?In this episode of School Behaviour Secrets, you’ll learn the 7 reasons why good behaviour policies often fail in good ...
Restorative Conversations Don’t Work for Every Pupil - Here’s How to Fix That
Restorative conversations are everywhere in schools right now. They’re written into behaviour policies, referenced in Ofsted language, and promoted as the gold standard for repairing harm and building accountability.But what happens when...
Behaviour, SEMH and Inclusion in 2026: What’s Really Coming Next
In 2026 the government is going to make big changes in how schools handle behaviour, SEMH and inclusion.The question is: are we ready for what that actually means?In this episode, we makes a series of predictions about where the s...
The 4 SEMH Myths That Are Making Behaviour In School Worse
Some of the most damaging ideas about behaviour in schools don’t sound wrong.They sound kind.They sound scientific.They sound progressive.And that’s exactly why they stick.In this episode of School Behavio...
The January Reset: How To Use The Fresh Start Effect To Transform Classroom Behaviour
The first week of January isn’t just “back to school” - it’s one of the most effective behaviour intervention points of the entire year. In this episode, we explore how to harness the psychology of the Fresh Start Effect to reset classroom rout...
RSD and ADHD: The Hidden Trigger Behind Sudden Classroom Meltdowns
When a pupil goes from “fine” to “furious” because you asked them to correct one sentence, it’s easy to think they’re overreacting. But for many children with ADHD, even small corrections can feel like rejection - triggering intense emotional p...
From Festive Chaos To Calm Classrooms - Helping Pupils Cope With Christmas
Christmas is exciting… but in schools, it can also send behaviour spiralling.Between nativity rehearsals, parties, Christmas jumper day, and all the glitter-induced chaos, many pupils tip from festive fun to full-on o...
When Rewards Stop Working: How To Build Behaviour That Lasts
Ever had that moment where your reward system just… stops working? The stickers lose their sparkle, the house points barely register, and suddenly every child in your class is asking, “What do I get if I follow the rules?” It’s frustrating, it’...
Escape Behaviour Firefighting with the PAIN Framework
When pupils show persistent, emotionally escalated behaviour, it’s easy to focus on the surface - the shouting, the refusal, the walking out - and miss the real cause.In this episode, you’ll learn how to use the PAIN framework (Ph...
Turn Chatty Classes Into Focused Learning With The T3 Method
Got a class that just won’t stop talking? The kind where the chatter keeps creeping back in, no matter how many times you settle them? We feel your pain!In this episode, we explain why the problem isn’t talk itself, but unstructured<...
Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD): How to Support Pupils And Avoid Power Struggles
Ever worked with a pupil who argues about everything — even the things they secretly agree with?In this episode, we unpack Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) — what it is, what it isn’t, and why traditional approaches like confrontatio...
How to protect your emotional wellbeing in 5 minutes a day or less
Ever get to Friday and feel like your emotional battery’s is fried? You’re not alone. Working in education — especially when supporting pupils with SEMH needs — means carrying other people’s emotions all day long. By the end of the week, you’re...
Connection Before Correction: 3 Ways To Make It Work In Your Classroom
“Connection before correction” has become a bit of a buzz phrase in education — but what does it actually mean in a real classroom? How do you do it in the middle of a behaviour incident, when stress levels are high and pupils seem lea...
Why Isolation Rooms Don’t Work (And What Schools Should Be Doing Instead)
SummaryDo isolation rooms really work? And if they do… why do we see the same pupils sitting in them day after day?In this episode, we dig into why – for many pupils - isolation rooms don’t change behaviour - and what scho...
The Truth About Consistency: Why It’s Hard and How to Nail It
Consistency across classrooms isn’t just a nice-to-have – it’s the foundation of your school culture. When pupils see one teacher give a warning, another skip straight to sanctions, and a third ignore the same behaviour completely, the message ...
Ofsted’s 2025 Shake-Up: 5 Questions Every School Leader Should Be Asking About Behaviour and SEMH
From November 2025, inclusion, behaviour, attendance, and wellbeing are set to take centre stage during Ofsted inspections. But what does this mean for schools in practice – especially when it comes to supporting SEMH? In this...
ADHD in Girls: Why It’s Missed and What Teachers Can Do
When we think of ADHD, most people picture the stereotype: a restless boy bouncing off the walls, blurting out answers, unable to sit still. But here’s the problem - that picture is incomplete. And because of it, thousands of girls with A...
Why De-escalation Isn’t Enough (And What To Do Instead)
Ever tried every de-escalation strategy in the book—calm voice, supportive stance, soothing words—only to watch a student keep spiralling? The problem isn’t you. The problem is that de-escalation on its own isn’t enough. In th...
The Myth of 1:1 Support: Why 1:1 Support Isn’t Always the Answer for SEMH Success in Schools
Are one-to-one teaching assistants really the best way to support students with SEMH needs?In this episode of School Behaviour Secrets, we explore the myth of 1:1 support and its unintended consequences for schools and students.Di...
Is Bullying A Form Of Trauma? Insights From Kidscape's New Research (With Paula Timms & Nathalie Noret)
Should bullying be viewed as trauma? In this episode of School Behaviour Secrets, we speak with guests Paula Timms and Nathalie Noret from Kidscape about groundbreaking research on the lasting impact caused by bullying.Discover how traum...
Relationships First: Rethinking Behaviour Policies in Schools (With Stephen Steinhaus)
Are you struggling with behaviour in your school or feeling a disconnect between staff and students? Then this episode is for you!Join us as we sit down with guest Stephen Steinhaus to unpack how relational behaviour policies, with a foc...