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This paper outlines the journey of one Scottish primary school in taking nurturing approaches forward over a 5‐year period, with the aims of improving staff understanding of their role and feeling skilled in using nurturing approaches and improving pupil's health and well‐being and confidence. Using an action research methodology and the local authority How Nurturing is our school framework (Fife Council Educational Psychology Service, 2022), an audit of current practice was undertaken, and priorities identified at universal, additional and intensive levels were put in place. Evaluation data were gathered in a variety of formats from pupils, staff, and parents. Analysis of the evaluation data indicates that pupils had improved understanding of their emotions and how to manage these, staff were experiencing improved relationships and ethos across the school and parents were happy with the support their children were being offered via the nurturing approaches. There was visible improvement in the physical environments, staff thrived on the personal coaching offered and more nurturing practice could be seen and heard throughout the school. It is concluded that the project has made a sustained impact on the health and well‐being of pupils and is now embedded in the school culture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article, co‐authored with a group of undergraduate secondary music student teachers, shares their experiences as they learned about additional support needs and inclusive practice through a series of 10 problem‐based learning (PBL) sessions. Drawing from their reflections on the weekly sessions, the paper explores the students' learning experiences through the themes of motivation, self‐directed learning, critical skill development and collaboration. The students' accounts indicate a deep engagement with the process of PBL and recognition of growth in their understanding and knowledge relating to inclusive practice and additional support needs. The process has supported their development in ways that may help them to navigate the complexities of inclusive education and support their own professional practice as they embark on their careers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bullying is a public health priority but to date, there is a lack of evidence‐based anti‐bullying programmes or interventions designed for use in special schools. KiVa is a successful anti‐bullying programme for mainstream schools currently used in 23 countries. This brief paper outlines the co‐development and adaptation of two KiVa lessons into KiVa‐SEND lessons and their implementation in two special schools in the UK. One school supports pupils with a primary need of Autism, the other supports pupils with severe and complex learning disabilities. Engagement with the lessons was high from both pupils and staff; the content was perceived as acceptable by staff, complementing the curriculum and perceived as suitable for their pupils. Minor adjustments need to be made to ensure all pupils can comprehend and access the concepts. Further development of the KiVa‐SEND programme and testing its potential effectiveness to reduce bullying and associated negative outcomes in special schools is now warranted. Key PointsThere is a lack of evidence‐based anti‐bullying programmes for use in special schools. This paper details the piloting of an adaptation of KiVa (a successful, evidence‐based anti‐bullying programme for mainstream schools) for use in special schools.The adaption (KiVa‐SEND) was a co‐design between a couple of special school teachers, and educational and psychological researchers to ensure the materials and approach were in line with school requirements and teaching practices.The KiVa‐SEND lesson engagement was excellent from the 12 staff and 62 learners involved and the materials were deemed acceptable via direct feedback and researcher observations. Suggestions were provided on how to make the materials even more suitable for diverse learning needs.KiVa‐SEND has the potential to be embedded within the special school curriculum and then be tested for its effectiveness at reducing bullying and associated negative outcomes of bullying amongst the special school population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The importance of reducing restraint and restrictive interventions in special schools has been recognised across the four nations of the UK. Government guidance for England and Wales, and recommendations produced by Restraint Reduction Scotland, both reference Positive behavioural support (PBS) as an evidence‐based approach that can be used to proactively support pupils with, or at risk of, behaviours that challenge. The Department of Education of Northern Ireland recommends the development of behaviour support plans to support children with special education needs and disabilities. Special schools, however, also have a responsibility to set high expectations for every pupil, to provide access to the respective national curricula and to meet individual needs. School‐wide positive behavioural support (SW‐PBS), originated in the USA in the 1990s in response to a body of evidence that showed improved social and academic outcomes when behavioural interventions were implemented across whole school settings. It is increasingly being adopted in the UK. Drawing upon examples from schools in England and Wales with which the authors are familiar, this paper outlines the rationale for a special schools' model of SW‐PBS and illustrates the ways in which this can be adjusted to meet the specific needs of each setting. Key PointsReducing restraint and restrictive interventions in schools is a high priority across all four nations of the UK.Special schools also have a responsibility to provide children with special education needs and disabilities positive learning environments that maximise learning opportunities and meet individual needs.School‐wide positive behaviour support (SW‐PBS) provides a useful framework to help special schools meet these expectations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents new insights into the views of families regarding the educational opportunities for their children in special school settings. It reports on a study designed to capture the perspectives of families regarding the opportunities to consult and engage with teachers on the education of their child or children with disabilities across special schools in Australia. The methodology provided a framework of investigation critical to the research in this study. Furthermore, a significant body of parental voices was manifested through the study providing a rich bank of perspectives regarding their preferred delivery models of education for their families and children with disabilities. Key pointsThe findings of this study provide deep insights into families' perspectives on curriculum and inclusive programmes that add value to the learning experiences of their children with disabilities in special school settings in Australia.The paper articulates the reasons why an overwhelming majority of parents who completed a large mix methods survey expressed confidence in the expertise of teachers, staff and leaders in the provision of education for students with disabilities in special school settings in Australia.For the first time in recent research in Australia, the voices of parents of students with disabilities are heard, respected and valued through a set of open‐ended questions within a large‐scale survey.A strong call from parents to sustain the provision of special schools in Australia, in keeping with the UN Rights of the Child (1990), is expressed and is supported by evidence elicited from parents in over 300 schools in Australia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is little research addressing teachers' beliefs and judgements concerning students with identified Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities (SEND), a group which is regularly cited as experiencing disadvantages in their schooling compared to peers. This paper draws on research which examined the beliefs and judgements of a set of arts teachers in an English secondary school regarding their students with SEND. Data were collected using observation, semi‐structured and stimulated recall interviews. Phenomenological analysis uncovered patterns of tension in these beliefs and judgements. Teachers were able to consider some of the interactions between their students' individual characteristics and the classroom environment, and the ways these might give rise to certain educational needs; they also believed their subjects were singularly inclusive in providing for diverse needs. Nonetheless, traditional systems of educational assessment significantly affected what is judged 'successful' learning, which teachers tended to negatively associate with SEND. We conclude that deficit thinking about the educational capacities of students with SEND underlies teachers' judgements. Nevertheless, teachers do believe there are many ways for students to participate meaningfully, articulate and demonstrate understanding in arts subjects, which have the potential to challenge traditional notions of 'success'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors of this position paper argue that there is currently very little evidence‐based practice in relation to learners with severe learning disabilities (SLD) and profound and multiple learning disabilities (PMLD), and that which there is, has often been badly used and/or abused. More specifically, we argue that relevant educational research undertaken so far has a strong tendency towards: (i) conflating the need for common strategies to be universally used in teaching, with the 'need' for a common curriculum; (ii) quoting research that applies to children with certain types of SEND as though it applies to all children with SEND; (iii) assuming there is a homogeneity of learning disability among people with the same condition (for example Down's syndrome, autism) and (iv) encouraging assumptions that any academic progress, no matter how small the gain, is axiomatically superior in value for all pupils. The authors conclude that there is need for a new look at 'evidence‐based practice' for these populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the authors report on the importance of using Intensive Interaction for the development of non‐verbal communication for people with autism. The complexity of learning non‐verbal communication means that it cannot be taught in any sense in a traditional, didactic manner. While a person may have the cognitive abilities to follow instructions and be taught the need to behave a certain way in social situations, which will not allow them to properly assimilate and understand social expectations and how to operate in social contexts. This paper suggests that the use of Intensive Interaction creates frequent opportunities for a person to take part in face‐to‐face interactions and consequently allow for the gradual development of non‐verbal communication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Routine‐Based Interview is a promising method to collect information in Early Intervention, since it focuses on all members of the family and their routines, while seeking to highlight what parents consider a priority in the intervention. For that reason, in this paper, we aim to analyse the kind of benefits and difficulties that may be found in the Routine‐Based Interview's implementation process. The present research comprises the qualitative interview method, according to which semi‐structured interviews were carried out by eight Portuguese professionals enrolled in the Portuguese System for Early Intervention. The professionals highlight the benefits of the Routine‐Based Interview as a way to clearly and objectively evaluate and identify the concerns and priorities of the family, as well as the child's competencies and the functional goals that will be included in the intervention plan. All participants stress the need for more training in the Routine‐Based Interview process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Test anxiety has become a widespread issue in many contemporary societies, having a significant detrimental effect on the attainment, health and well‐being of many young people. This paper evaluates a school‐based, multimodal test anxiety intervention framework, 'Every Little Helps' (ELH), developed by educational psychologists and delivered to small groups of GCSE students (aged 15–16) in two secondary schools in the North West of England. A quasi‐experimental, mixed methods approach was adopted. Findings suggest that ELH is helpful in reducing test anxiety amongst GCSE students. Participants report a range of helpful outcomes including an increased sense of control and competence through increased academic attainment, enhanced control of emotions and more helpful ways of thinking. Participants also report beneficial wider impacts as a result of being able to generalise learnt skills and techniques to other aspects of their lives. Implications for educational policy and practice and future research are considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Opportunities for children to be involved in the decisions made about them is a part of current statutory educational legislation. Person‐centred planning (PCP) has been proposed as an appropriate method of meeting statutory requirements. However, there is a dearth of research into its application within education. The paper describes a systematic literature review of current research into PCP within education for pupils with SEMH and the associated outcomes. PCP appears to be an effective way of engaging children, young people and their families but research within education is currently limited and methodologically weak. More rigorous research is needed into PCP and its effectiveness and should include the use of standardised and/or observable measures, more varied ranges of contexts and participants, and longitudinal and child‐led designs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This systematic review explores test anxiety in children and young people (CYP) with learning difficulties. Research has found that students with learning difficulties experience higher levels of anxiety about school compared to peers without learning difficulties. One area of school that has had little research is test anxiety, therefore further exploration is needed. Nine papers resulted from the systematic search. It was found that CYP with learning difficulties can experience test anxiety. There are a variety of internal and external factors which have an interactional relationship with test anxiety. A model was developed to illustrate these factors including characteristics of tests, perceptions of support, self‐belief and cognition and learning skills. This can be used to explore potential reasons for test anxiety in CYP with learning difficulties and to provide subsequent support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this practice paper is to promote the teaching of learners with neurodevelopmental conditions from a neurodiverse perspective. The challenge teachers face in having to draw on up‐to‐date research evidence and theoretical perspectives, and align these with practical considerations to generate contextualised teaching strategies, are addressed with the introduction of a three‐factor model. The utility of considering pupil assessment data gathered from a strengths‐based perspective is positioned as a central component to bridging the gap between the incipient neurodiversity literature and the realities of applied teaching practice. Two case examples have presented that draw on the proposed three‐factor model to demonstrate how teachers can assess and teach learners from a neurodevelopmental perspective. These case studies focus on supporting learners with Autism and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in a secondary setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses how one special school for pupils with moderate‐learning difficulties reflects themes in the literature on pupil motivation. It aims to highlight good practice and is based on reflections from prolonged working with the school as an advisory teacher, illustrated with teacher, pupil and parent comments from Y6 Education Health Care Plans and Y7 annual review documents (n = 23) and from OFSTED reports. It beings by exploring the origins and influences on pupil motivation, identifying the differences between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation and examining motivational traits and attributions within individuals. It then discusses the motivational influences of the social and learning contexts of the school: organisation, curriculum and pedagogy, and goals and rewards. Throughout, school‐specific observations are related to and discussed alongside themes in the literature. Motivation is commonly defined in quantitative terms that describe the intensity, direction and duration of behaviour and effort. It is the qualitative aspects of how motivation is aroused and maintained that are germane to this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the authors discuss their grounded research carried out with teachers about the wellbeing of teachers. They explore the importance of making the concept of wellbeing more intimate and consider hedonic and eudaimonic ways of looking at wellbeing. They present a model of layered reflection which illuminates key factors that have an impact on the wellbeing of teachers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]