GEOFF BAKER, CEO, TRUE LEARNING PARTNERSHIP, UK; EMERITUS PROFESSOR, UNIVERSITY OF GREATER MANCHESTER, UK
CRAIG LOMAS, DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION, TRUE LEARNING PARTNERSHIP, UK
ANGELA SCOTT, EDUCATIONAL CONSULTANT
In recent decades, behaviour in schools has become an increasingly polarised topic. Dominant narratives tend to position practice at opposite ends of a spectrum: either relational and nurturing or strict and zero-tolerance. For school leaders, this creates a false choice. Nowhere is this more problematic than for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), whose behaviour is frequently interpreted through these lenses, despite often reflecting unmet need rather than deliberate non-compliance.
In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, many schools have reported a shift in pupil behaviour, encountering patterns that feel unfamiliar and, at times, more complex to address. Alongside this, rates of exclusion remain a persistent concern – particularly for those with additional needs. For example, data highlighted by the National Association for Special Educational Needs (NASEN, 2023) suggests that pupils receiving SEND support (without an education, health and care plan) are around four times more likely to be suspended and up to eight times more likely to be permanently excluded than their peers without SEND. This pattern is mirrored in attendance, where pupils with SEND are disproportionately represented among those persistently absent and have significantly lower overall attendance rates than their peers (DfE, 2025a). These trends raise an important question: to what extent are schools places where all pupils can truly belong? This article explores that question, drawing on research and leadership experience to consider how schools might move beyond managing behaviour towards designing environments where belonging comes first.
The case for belonging
Belonging is a basic human need – so foundational that it sits on the third tier of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, directly above physiological and safety needs (Huang, 2024). In the school setting, this can be described as the sense of being accepted, respected and valued by the school community. It is increasingly recognised as a foundational condition for learning rather than a desired outcome. Research consistently identifies belonging as a significant predictor of motivation, engagement, attendance and wellbeing (Allen et al., 2018). Guidance from the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF, 2021a) further highlights the importance of relationships, trust and consistency in supporting behaviour and learning. The SEND Code of Practice (DfE, 2015) reinforces this, placing participation and inclusion at the heart of effective provision. Taken together, the evidence is clear: belonging is not an optional extra. It is a requirement for engagement, a driver of behaviour and a critical lever for improving outcomes, particularly for those most at risk of exclusion. Moreover, belonging is not the outcome of good behaviour; it is the condition that makes it possible.
Understanding disengagement in pupils with SEND
Recent research on disengagement highlights the secondary years as a critical point, with some studies suggesting that as many as one in four pupils begin to disengage in their first year of secondary school and may never fully re-engage (Jerrim, 2025). For pupils with SEND, however, this process often begins much earlier. Where learning or social interaction is more challenging, a sense of belonging may never fully take root.
As pupils move through the system, an increasing emphasis on pace, standardisation and prescribed developmental trajectories can create a growing mismatch between the learner and the environment (DfE, 2025b). For some pupils, particularly those who are neurodivergent, this mismatch can trigger cognitive overload. As Magnan (2026) suggests, disengagement can begin before learning even starts, as pupils anticipate difficulty or failure. This often triggers a cycle of anxiety and avoidance. Experiences of overload can lead to ‘fight, flight or freeze’ responses, which may be interpreted by adults as poor behaviour rather than indicators of distress. In turn, this can result in punitive responses, further reinforcing disengagement. Avoidance may provide short-term relief, but, as Radico (2024) argues, it ultimately sustains and deepens anxiety over time.
A pupil who repeatedly avoids writing tasks may be disengaged not from learning but from the anxiety that those tasks consistently provoke. When support focuses on reducing that anxiety – through scaffolding, alternative recording methods or relational reassurance – engagement often follows. Schools must move beyond responding to behaviour at a surface level and instead recognise the underlying drivers of disengagement. Only then can they design approaches that reduce triggers and support regulation, enabling pupils with SEND to feel they belong.
Implications for schools
Approaches that focus on identifying and addressing the root causes of behaviour are far more likely to lead to meaningful and sustainable change. In this context, the development of positive, inclusive and evidence-informed cultures is significantly more effective than relying on compliance with a fixed set of rules for its own sake. This does not mean that boundaries and consequences have no place; rather, they should sit as one component within a broader values-driven culture in which inclusion is central and clearly understood by all. Drawing on both research and the authors’ leadership experiences, this article proposes a practical framework comprising six strategies to support schools in enacting such an approach.
Belonging before behaviour: A practical framework
Strategy 1: An explicitly inclusive culture
Referring to ‘SEND learners’ can unintentionally position pupils as separate from the wider community. Using language that emphasises adaptation and shared responsibility reinforces belonging. Teaching to strengths rather than focusing on failures builds trust and pupil advocacy. It demonstrates the community’s willingness to value individuals as their authentic selves. To achieve this, teaching and learning, behaviour and PSHE policies must align so that the everyday practice is coherent, dynamic and positive.
Strategy 2: Staff confidence and expertise
Building staff confidence and expertise is essential to embedding belonging in practice. Schools must adopt sustained, iterative professional development that allows staff to learn, practise, apply and refine their approaches over time (EEF, 2021b). A key component of this is developing a secure understanding of neurodiversity. When staff recognise that behaviours may reflect unmet need rather than defiance, responses shift from reactive to responsive. This reduces inconsistency and the reliance on punitive approaches, creating more predictable and supportive environments for pupils. Schools are more likely to achieve this when professional development is embedded within everyday practice rather than delivered through isolated training events. The EEF (2021b) identifies modelling, deliberate practice, feedback and implementation support as key mechanisms for improving classroom practice, while instructional coaching provides teachers with opportunities to refine adaptive teaching over time (Sherrington, 2024).
Strategy 3: Pedagogy that prioritises engagement
A pedagogy of curiosity fuelled by the mantra ‘no brain is the same, no brain is best, each brain finds its own special way’ enables teachers to reflect on what is already working in their classrooms (Hallowell and Ratey, 2023). Once identified, they can then do more of it, adding purposeful adaptations to better match the cognitive processes that pupils bring to learning (Norwich and Lewis, 2007). Engagement is the admission ticket for deep learning. Practical approaches include explicit modelling, worked examples, carefully sequenced explanations, scaffolding language and breaking learning into manageable steps. These approaches align closely with Rosenshine’s (2012) principles of instruction and Lemov’s (2021) high-impact classroom routines, both of which reduce unnecessary cognitive load while maintaining ambitious expectations for all learners. Importantly, these are not SEND-specific strategies but examples of high-quality teaching that improve access for every pupil.
Strategy 4: Strong pastoral and relational systems
Strong pastoral and relational systems are central to fostering belonging (Hope, 2012). At their core is the presence of trusted adults who know pupils well and provide consistent, emotionally available support. Practical approaches – such as key adult systems, structured check-ins, restorative conversations and carefully planned transitions – strengthen psychological safety and reflect Dix’s (2021) argument that adult behaviour is the primary driver of positive pupil behaviour. These approaches ensure that pupils feel seen and supported, particularly during moments of difficulty or transition. Critically, these systems should prioritise co-regulation before self-regulation (Bornstein and Esposito, 2023). Many pupils, particularly those with SEND, require support to manage emotions before they can independently regulate their behaviour. Staff who are calm and responsive can help pupils to return to a state where learning is possible. This relational approach supports evidence highlighting the importance of connection in behaviour and engagement. When pupils feel safe and understood, they are less likely to disengage or exhibit distressed behaviour (Côté-Lussier and Fitzpatrick, 2016). In this sense, pastoral systems are not separate from learning; they are central to it.
Strategy 5: Strengths-based language
The world of SEND and inclusion is littered with deficit language – ‘difficulty’, ‘disorder’ and ‘dysfunction’. Being curious about how to promote engagement through belonging requires a vocabulary comprising positive and transformative language. Teachers need to be detectives, determined to discover the distinctive diversity of each learning brain for which they are responsible. The dyslexic pupil whose teacher values their creativity and reasoning skills belongs; the autistic pupil whose teacher draws out their attention to detail and observational talents belongs; and the pupil with ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) whose energy and ability to make links between ideas are valued by their teacher belongs. Teachers act as the catalyst for inclusive interaction between peers. Purposeful seating arrangements, effective feedback and wise use of technology to ensure that learning is a cognitive process demonstrated beyond the written product can change behaviours and enable pupils to feel safe, valued and connected (Berry, 2022).
Strategy 6: Contextual and meaningful recognition
Recognition systems must be carefully designed to promote genuine belonging rather than superficial compliance. Traditional reward systems can sometimes privilege a narrow set of behaviours, inadvertently excluding those who struggle to meet these expectations. In contrast, meaningful recognition focuses on effort, engagement and progress, acknowledging the diverse ways in which pupils participate in school life (Pellicano and den Houting, 2022). It requires a contextualised approach. Hattie (2023) argues that feedback focused on progress and learning is more likely to strengthen motivation than reward systems based solely upon comparison or external incentives. When done well, recognition becomes a tool for inclusion, helping pupils to feel valued for who they are and how they engage, rather than for how closely they compare to their peers (Kohn, 2018).
Conclusion
Ultimately, improving behaviour and attendance for pupils with SEND requires more than refining systems of control; it demands a shift in how schools understand engagement itself. Where behaviour is viewed as communication and attendance as an outcome, the role of the school becomes one of designing environments in which all pupils can belong. The evidence suggests that when pupils feel safe, understood and valued, their capacity to engage increases. Conversely, where belonging is fragile, absence and exclusion are not anomalies but predictable responses. This is particularly true for pupils with SEND, whose needs too often remain unmet within standardised systems. Clear boundaries and high standards remain essential, but they are most effective when rooted in relational, inclusive cultures. When belonging comes first, behaviour improves and attendance follows – not through enforcement, but because pupils experience school as a place where they can succeed.
