The overall aim of the project was to enhance a system for identifying students who were disruptive and disaffected and liaise closely with the Head of SEN. Such students would be managed and supported within the school's SEN staged procedures.

The objectives were:

A. To provide a more structured approach to dealing with disaffected and/or disruptive students.

B. To increase liaison between pastoral, SEN and teaching staff

C. To produce a more uniform approach in overcoming the problems presented by the students.

D. To share good practice across the school.

The school had been concerned for some time that it not only had students coming to the school from its own catchment area who were disruptive, but that it was also taking in students from other areas who, for a variety of reasons were disaffected and/or disruptive. Moreover they had taken some students who had been excluded elsewhere.

Whilst he acknowledged the overlap, the Project Director believed that their strategy had possibly been more effective in dealing with disruption than disaffection.

There has been a more structured approach to identifying students presenting disruptive behaviours and indeed, steps taken to try to identify who is likely to become disruptive and intervene to steer away from a `career' of disruption.

This has been done by involving the Educational Psychologist, parents and learning support staff where there might also be some learning difficulties. The work in this area focused on pupils in Year 7 and 8 and involves the Deputy Head in drawing up an Individual Behaviour Plan (IBP) involving also the pupil and, normally, a parent. This plan states a set of targeted behaviours phrased as "I will ....." statements. The consequences of not keeping these "promises" of behaviour are also discussed and written down. The pupil (and parent) therefore knows exactly what behaviours are required and what the consequences would be if they are not met. All participants to drawing up the IBP sign the document and have a copy.

This system is integrated within a staged procedure.

Increased liaison of all concerned has been essential to the success of establishing a more systematic approach to behaviour management. In addition there has been closer liaison with both the Educational Psychologist and E.W.O. The school has unit provision for students with moderate learning difficulties and there is therefore a high proportion of students with statements in the school. This has also led to more access to the support of an EP which has been highly valued.

There has been an improvement in communication between staff about managing behaviours, and there has also been an emphasis in the lower school on improving Maths and Literacy. The project has provoked much staff discussion about how to reduce and manage disaffection and disruption, with some interesting results. One has been a general endorsement of additional staffing given to Years 10 and 11 affording greater staff student interaction and improved learning contexts. Another is that the project has led some staff to query the appropriateness of the GCSE English syllabus (some staff believe it leads to disaffection). Naturally this is a vexed question.

The Project Director considers this has been successfully achieved and there is a single process for referrals. Discussions take place between, for example, the Head of lower School, Deputy Head, EP and EWO to determine whether the student's problems should be dealt with by sanctions and a behavioural approach or whether they should be treated as a form of SEN.

Uniformity of approach has been interpreted in terms of setting up a system, which has been successful, but so far it has not been applied to evaluating uniformity/ consistency of managing the behaviours presented by students.

Communication has been good. There has been sharing of information about IBPs and bulletins and advice about managing behaviour.

Funding was used to offer staff release time, and departments have improved both the curriculum they offer "less able" students and have had time to discuss behaviour management. Because systems are now in place, there would not be a need for so much time in future, and the project has been a useful "pump-priming" opportunity.

There has been very little effect on attendance, reflecting the fact that the project focused on managing the behaviour of disruptive - but attending - students.

If funding were to be available then the staff believed it would be effectively and efficiently used to continue liaison meetings, particularly those concerning statementing and review procedures, as these are time-consuming.

The project had been useful in "extending and developing fundamental aspects of the school's ethos" which were seen as

• a caring school
• partnership with parents
• a disciplined school