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Five-session mentoring course

Physical aggression

Who it's for

Consider this course for a pupil showing:

  • Frequent physical outbursts (hitting, kicking, throwing items) when frustrated
  • Difficulty calming down once escalated, even after the trigger has passed
  • Reports from multiple staff of aggressive incidents in unstructured times (corridors, breaktime)
  • Limited vocabulary for describing anger before it becomes physical

What it works towards

  • Recognise the early body signals of rising anger before it becomes physical
  • Build a personal toolkit of calming strategies that work in the moment
  • Reduce the frequency and intensity of physical incidents
  • Repair relationships affected by past incidents through restorative conversation

The five sessions

  1. Session 1 What my body does before it happens Pupil can describe the physical signs their body gives before an incident, and name at least one recent trigger.
  2. Session 2 Spotting my triggers Pupil can identify two to three personal triggers and rate their intensity.
  3. Session 3 Getting out before crisis Pupil can name and practise at least two ways to leave a situation before it becomes physical.
  4. Session 4 What happens after Pupil can describe what coming down feels like, and take part in putting right an incident where someone was hurt.
  5. Session 5 My hot and cold plan Pupil has a personalised, written hot and cold plan and understands what happens next.

A sixth session follows, without the pupil: the mentor writes the support plan and agrees next steps.

The approach, and where it comes from

Sessions combine cognitive behavioural techniques (recognising the anger cycle and the link between thoughts, feelings and actions) with restorative practice for repairing harm, strategies widely used in UK pupil referral units and SEMH provision. The approach reflects the DfE's Behaviour in Schools advice, which favours consistent, relationship-based responses over reactive sanctions alone, and supports the attendance and behaviour evaluation area in Ofsted's inspection framework, which expects schools to maintain a calm, safe environment with a clear approach to managing physical incidents.

Try it with a small group

Three weeks free, no card, up to three staff and ten pupils. Everything recorded during the trial carries over if you continue.

Start the free pilot

Or read the white paper, which sets out the evidence behind each of the twenty courses.

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