According to theguardian.com, all 42 pupils, aged four to 11, have social, emotional and mental health difficulties. All have been excluded (or were on the verge of being excluded) from mainstream primary schools for their ‘challenging’ behavior (up to 50 percent were excluded from three or four schools before going to Haywood).
Some are autistic, others have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or anger issues, and many have experienced developmental trauma caused by problems at home, parental breakups and bereavement. Most have only limited social and communication skills, often resorting to anger and violence. The traditional response physical restraint and punishment — has dominated their school lives to date.
But Catherine Smith, headteacher at Haywood Grove, said this approach is ineffective and, most importantly, does not allow the children to understand their behavior and modify it.
“The traditional approach is control through rules, punishment and exclusion, but children with problems have a greater need for a non-punitive approach,” she said.
“Most of their ‘naughty’ behavior is the result of being anxious and stressed. We believe we can help these children by reducing their anxiety and providing a secure base.
“Our relationship with the children is paramount, as it provides a blueprint for their relationships in future. We give them more freedom to explore their emotions and behavior so that it can be unlearned or adapted, but we’re not soft.
“This is a unique approach to managing and modifying behavior and, at times, counterintuitive — we are perceived to be unusual and different. However, with younger and younger children attending our school, we believe there is a real opportunity to change behavior in the developing brain. We can’t give up on these children.”
Since joining the local authority-maintained special school in April 2013, Smith and deputy headteacher Paul Clair, head of strategic development, policy and provision, have transformed its ethos.
“It has been and continues to be a process getting both pupils and staff on board, but we are getting there,” said Smith.
Key to the new approach is the Just Right State program, devised by occupational therapist Éadaoin Bhreathnach, which uses activities and foods to help children learn how to self-regulate their emotional state. The school is the first in Britain to fully integrate the program into its curriculum.
Every child takes part in a 40-minute session at 9am each school day, during which they pat or stroke their body as if they have just got out of the shower, roll on gym balls, climb, and eat crunchy foods or sucky sweets.
“The idea is that physical activities get them to a place where they are in an alert state for learning,” said Clair.
“For some children, this will mean calming down, for others waking up. Climbing is good for children who feel angry as it is hard to be angry while climbing, while the deep pressure feeling of rolling a gym ball on the body is similar to being hugged, which is reassuring for some children.
“Ultimately, the idea is that the children will know which activity makes them personally feel better. We also do a snack and chat session once a week as part of the program.
Food also has regulating properties and so different foods are provided in order to help the children regulate themselves. The principles are that sweet, salty foods and warm spices provide comfort, and citrus foods are alerting. Sucking actions are comforting and nurturing, and crunching has the capacity to calm aggression. Chewing has a similar impact. During these sessions, children can talk about how they feel and their ability to control their emotions is something we praise.”