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School Behaviour Secrets with Simon Currigan and Emma Shackleton

School Behaviour Secrets with Simon Currigan and Emma Shackleton

Written by: Beacon School Support
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About this listen

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!

© 2026 Beacon School Support Ltd. Education
Episodes
  • Behaviour, SEMH and Inclusion in 2026: What’s Really Coming Next

    Behaviour, SEMH and Inclusion in 2026: What’s Really Coming Next
    Jan 12 2026

    In 2026 the government is going to make big changes in how schools handle behaviour, SEMH and inclusion.

    The question is: are we ready for what that actually means?

    In this episode, we makes a series of predictions about where the system is heading next year - not based on politics or policy promises, but on how schools really work when money, policy and classroom reality collide.

    Some of these predictions may make you uncomfortable. Others may feel uncomfortably familiar.

    But if you want a grounded, experience-led perspective on what’s coming - and how to lead through it without burning out - this episode will help you see 2026 more clearly before it arrives.

    Share your thoughts on these predictions (or share your own!) through Linked In or Facebook:

    https://www.linkedin.com/in/simon-currigan/

    https://www.facebook.com/beaconschoolsupport
    Show More Show Less
    22 mins
  • The 4 SEMH Myths That Are Making Behaviour In School Worse

    The 4 SEMH Myths That Are Making Behaviour In School Worse
    Jan 5 2026

    Some of the most damaging ideas about behaviour in schools don’t sound wrong.

    They sound kind.

    They sound scientific.

    They sound progressive.

    And that’s exactly why they stick.

    In this episode of School Behaviour Secrets, Simon Currigan unpacks four popular SEMH myths that are quietly making behaviour worse - not because people mean badly, but because good ideas have been overstretched, oversimplified, and misunderstood.

    You’ll explore:

    • Why children do still make choices - even when emotions run high
    • The truth about trauma-informed practice (and why it doesn’t lower expectations)
    • Why consequences matter even when they don’t “fix” behaviour
    • Why SEMH can’t replace behaviour systems - and what happens when schools try

    This isn’t about winning arguments.

    It’s about clearing away the half-truths that sabotage classrooms and replacing them with thinking that actually works.

    If you’re a teacher or school leader who wants calmer classrooms, fairer systems and a better understanding of what’s really going on underneath behaviour, this episode will give you clarity - not slogans.

    Important links:

    Get our FREE SEND Behaviour Handbook: https://beaconschoolsupport.co.uk/send-handbook

    Download other FREE behaviour resources for use in school: https://beaconschoolsupport.co.uk/resources
    Show More Show Less
    27 mins
  • The January Reset: How To Use The Fresh Start Effect To Transform Classroom Behaviour

    The January Reset: How To Use The Fresh Start Effect To Transform Classroom Behaviour
    Dec 15 2025

    The first week of January isn’t just “back to school” - it’s one of the most effective behaviour intervention points of the entire year. In this episode, we explore how to harness the psychology of the Fresh Start Effect to reset classroom routines, rebuild relationships and help pupils begin the new term with confidence rather than shame.

    You’ll discover:

    • Why January works better than September for behaviour resets

    • How to create whole-class “New Year resolutions” that shift identity, not just rules

    • A powerful symbolic activity to help individual pupils let go of last term’s mistakes

    • How to rebuild safety and trust with pupils who struggled in the autumn

    • Practical ways to re-teach routines, reduce sensory overload and reset the emotional climate

    • How January can lower PAIN-driven stress and improve SEMH outcomes across the class

    Whether you’re a teacher, SENCO or school leader, this episode gives you a clear, needs-led roadmap for starting the term calmer and more connected - so your pupils can thrive from day one.

    Perfect for any school looking to make January feel like a true fresh start, not “September, part two.”

    Important links:

    Get our FREE SEND Behaviour Handbook: https://beaconschoolsupport.co.uk/send-handbook

    Download other FREE behaviour resources for use in school: https://beaconschoolsupport.co.uk/resources
    Show More Show Less
    24 mins
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