School Behaviour Secrets with Simon Currigan and Emma Shackleton
Beacon School Support
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
Mentioned books
Nov 22, 2021 • 28min
How To Help Kids Overcome The Emotional Impact Of Bullying With Bradley Davis
Bullying is an issue that affects many pupils. But once the immediate issue of bullying has been dealt with, how do you help victims overcome the emotional impact of what has happened to them?Bradley Davis, who is dedicated to supporting pupils with emotional and mental health issues, talks about his own experiences of bullying as a student - and shares practical strategies for helping (and healing) pupils who have experienced bullying in school.Important links:Bradley's website: The BKyndCo (under construction):http://www.thebkyndco.comJoin our Inner Circle membership programme: https://beaconschoolsupport.co.uk/inner_circle.phpJoin our FREE Classroom Management and Student Behaviour FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/school.behaviourDownload other FREE behaviour resources for use in school: https://beaconschoolsupport.co.uk/resources.phpSchool leaders: Join us at the National SEMH Conference (October 2026)It's a whole day focused on the real SEMH, behaviour and inclusion pressures facing schools - and what leaders can do next. Plus, right now you can get Super Early Bird tickets at £250 - find out more and book your place here.
Nov 15, 2021 • 27min
Why Parenting Programmes Don't Work
Most of us invest more time learning to drive than learning to parent - and parenting programmes are full of valuable ideas and strategies. But why do they have such a high failure rate in schools?In today's episode, we look at the factors that drag down the success of parenting courses, and explore what can be done to make the programmes offered in your school more successful.Important links:Join our Behaviour 360 programme: https://beaconschoolsupport.co.uk/behaviour_360.phpGet access to Family First for individual parents: https://beaconschoolsupport.co.uk/family_first.phpJoin our FREE Classroom Management and Student Behaviour FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/school.behaviourDownload other FREE behaviour resources for use in school: https://beaconschoolsupport.co.uk/resources.phpSchool leaders: Join us at the National SEMH Conference (October 2026)It's a whole day focused on the real SEMH, behaviour and inclusion pressures facing schools - and what leaders can do next. Plus, right now you can get Super Early Bird tickets at £250 - find out more and book your place here.
Nov 8, 2021 • 35min
How To Improve Behaviour Through Playtime Games With Thérèse Hoyle
Looking for a way to boost student behaviour at lunchtimes - and increase their social skills as well - in a way that's immediate and engaging?Therese Hoyle is one of the UK's leading trainers on improving playtime and lunchtime behaviour. In this episode, she reveals the secrets of using playground games to dramatically improve the quality of playtimes and lunchtimes in schools.Important links:Therese's website, free resources and training: https://theresehoyle.comUse code FLY21 to get a 20% discount from her book, 101 Playground Games.Join our Inner Circle membership programme: https://beaconschoolsupport.co.uk/inner_circle.phpJoin our FREE Classroom Management and Student Behaviour FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/school.behaviourDownload other FREE behaviour resources for use in school: https://beaconschoolsupport.co.uk/resources.phpSchool leaders: Join us at the National SEMH Conference (October 2026)It's a whole day focused on the real SEMH, behaviour and inclusion pressures facing schools - and what leaders can do next. Plus, right now you can get Super Early Bird tickets at £250 - find out more and book your place here.
Nov 1, 2021 • 28min
What Empathy Actually Is (And How To Teach It)
Developing empathy is a key skill our students need to function in school. It helps them bond with their peers, work as part of a group and function successfully in the classroom.But what do we actually mean by empathy - and how do we help our pupils develop it? In this episode, we look at the different layers of empathy, how theory of mind (and perspective taking) develop, and share some practical strategies for supporting students in your school.Join our Inner Circle membership programme: https://beaconschoolsupport.co.uk/inner_circle.phpJoin our FREE Classroom Management and Student Behaviour FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/school.behaviourDownload other FREE behaviour resources for use in school: https://beaconschoolsupport.co.uk/resources.phpSchool leaders: Join us at the National SEMH Conference (October 2026)It's a whole day focused on the real SEMH, behaviour and inclusion pressures facing schools - and what leaders can do next. Plus, right now you can get Super Early Bird tickets at £250 - find out more and book your place here.
Oct 24, 2021 • 32min
The Zones Of Regulation: How To Help Kids Manage Strong Emotions With Leah Kuypers
Leah Kuypers, author and creator of the Zones of Regulation, shares her expertise in helping children manage strong emotions like anger and anxiety. She discusses practical tools within her framework that educators can use to foster emotional awareness in the classroom. The conversation delves into the four color zones representing different emotional states, and highlights strategies for recognizing and articulating these feelings. Leah also emphasizes the importance of a supportive learning environment to promote self-regulation amid challenging behaviors.
Oct 17, 2021 • 24min
How Trauma Impacts On Pupil Behaviour (And How Teachers Can Help)
If you're working with a child who has difficulty regulating their emotions, over-reacts to situations, or finds it hard to concentrate, then it might be they were affected by early trauma in their life.In this episode, we explore how adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) actually change the way the brain functions, resulting in highly anxious or dysregulated pupils. And, of course, we cover concrete strategies you can start using to support pupils affected by trauma in your classroom.Get our FREE SEN Behaviour Handbook: https://beaconschoolsupport.co.uk/SEN-handbook.phpJoin our Inner Circle membership programme: https://beaconschoolsupport.co.uk/inner_circle.phpJoin our FREE Classroom Management and Student Behaviour FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/school.behaviourDownload other FREE behaviour resources for use in school: https://beaconschoolsupport.co.uk/resources.phpSchool leaders: Join us at the National SEMH Conference (October 2026)It's a whole day focused on the real SEMH, behaviour and inclusion pressures facing schools - and what leaders can do next. Plus, right now you can get Super Early Bird tickets at £250 - find out more and book your place here.
Oct 10, 2021 • 35min
How To Support Children Affected By Their Parents' Mental Health Needs with Helena Kulikowska
Many children are affected by the mental health needs of their parents - whether that impact is emotional, or having to become more self-sufficient at an early age. And some even find the roles of child and adult have swapped - and they've become the carer for their parent.So how do we help them cope with that emotional pressure and succeed in school? Helena Kulikowska from the charity Our Time shares her practical advice for supporting pupils affected by this issue.Visit the Our Time website for more ideas and resources: https://ourtime.org.uk/Get our FREE SEN Behaviour Handbook: https://beaconschoolsupport.co.uk/SEN-handbook.phpJoin our Inner Circle membership programme: https://beaconschoolsupport.co.uk/inner_circle.phpJoin our FREE Classroom Management and Student Behaviour FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/school.behaviourDownload other FREE behaviour resources for use in school: https://beaconschoolsupport.co.uk/resources.phpSchool leaders: Join us at the National SEMH Conference (October 2026)It's a whole day focused on the real SEMH, behaviour and inclusion pressures facing schools - and what leaders can do next. Plus, right now you can get Super Early Bird tickets at £250 - find out more and book your place here.
Oct 3, 2021 • 32min
How To Help Students Use Social Media (Safely) with Claire Orange
Many teachers and parents are worried about the effects of social media on their children. Whether it's negative comments, becoming obsessed with friend counts, dealing with trolling or chasing likes, the world of social media is piling up new pressures on our students like never before.In this week's episode, we speak to Claire Orange, expert and author on social and emotional learning. She explains how social media use is affecting our pupil's emotional development... and shares practical ideas for helping children navigate social media safely.Claire's DigiiSocial education program: https://digiisocial.com/Join our Inner Circle membership programme: https://beaconschoolsupport.co.uk/inner_circle.phpJoin our FREE Classroom Management and Student Behaviour FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/school.behaviourDownload other FREE behaviour resources for use in school: https://beaconschoolsupport.co.uk/resources.phpSchool leaders: Join us at the National SEMH Conference (October 2026)It's a whole day focused on the real SEMH, behaviour and inclusion pressures facing schools - and what leaders can do next. Plus, right now you can get Super Early Bird tickets at £250 - find out more and book your place here.
Sep 26, 2021 • 33min
How To Create Positive Whole School Behaviour Change with Gavin Oattes
Creating positive whole school behaviour change can feel like swimming upstream. But what if there was a basic formula for achieving success?In this episode, we speak to Gavin Oattes, who's worked with some of the biggest organisations in the world on personal development. He reveals the process he uses with schools to drive positive change - starting from the school's core values all the way through to student behaviour change in the classroom.Gavin's Tree of Knowledge website: https://treeof.com/Join our Inner Circle membership programme: https://beaconschoolsupport.co.uk/inner_circle.phpJoin our FREE Classroom Management and Student Behaviour FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/school.behaviourDownload other FREE behaviour resources for use in school: https://beaconschoolsupport.co.uk/resources.phpSchool leaders: Join us at the National SEMH Conference (October 2026)It's a whole day focused on the real SEMH, behaviour and inclusion pressures facing schools - and what leaders can do next. Plus, right now you can get Super Early Bird tickets at £250 - find out more and book your place here.
Sep 19, 2021 • 18min
How Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Affects Student Behaviour
FASD (Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder) is a condition that's estimated to affect as many as autism, can lead to emotional and behaviour issues in the classroom, but can be very difficult to identify. So how can we recognise - and support - children with the condition?In today's School Behaviour Secrets, we explode some of the myths about FASD, look at the surprising facts and figures about drinking in pregnancy, and share how you can support pupils affected by this issue in your school.Important links:Get our FREE SEN Behaviour Handbook: https://beaconschoolsupport.co.uk/SEN-handbook.phpJoin our Inner Circle membership programme: https://beaconschoolsupport.co.uk/inner_circle.phpJoin our FREE Classroom Management and Student Behaviour FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/school.behaviourDownload other FREE behaviour resources for use in school: https://beaconschoolsupport.co.uk/resources.phpSchool leaders: Join us at the National SEMH Conference (October 2026)It's a whole day focused on the real SEMH, behaviour and inclusion pressures facing schools - and what leaders can do next. Plus, right now you can get Super Early Bird tickets at £250 - find out more and book your place here.
