In 2023, Schools Week reported that “schools lose a quarter of lesson time to poor behaviour.” Disruptive behaviour not only affects the learning of surrounding students but often masks deeper, unmet needs of the student themselves. The Children and Young People’s Mental Health Coalition highlights behaviour as a form of communication, frequently signalling underlying mental health concerns or undiagnosed conditions.
In many mainstream school environments, it is challenging to provide the individualised support needed to understand and address these behaviours. This was the case for Connor.
Connor joined Progress Schools in July 2023, just before the end of the summer term. On arrival, Connor was facing significant barriers that presented as frequent challenging behaviour. In his first 5 months as staff sought to understand the deeper levels of Connor’s barriers, he was involved in 66 negative incidents and received 10 suspensions, primarily due to behaviour that was described as highly disruptive to both himself and his learning environment.
As a result, at Progress Schools, Connor was given access to a range of support strategies tailored to his needs. This included 1:1 mentoring and behaviour therapy interventions to building a connected community around him, through regular contact with his carer and mainstream school. Connor was provided with a bespoke, personalised curriculum to support him to thrive. This included intervention from Right Traxs, who use motorcycles as the means of communication. Instructors assist young people in basic motorcycle maintenance and riding skills, offering an exciting and positive learning experience. Connor also received impartial, expert careers advice and guidance from a qualified career adviser.
Through consistent support and patience, Connor began to show steady improvement. Over time, he responded well to the structure and personalised approach. One big impact was his 1:1 mentoring session with his head of school. From these, Connor was able to not only reduce but eliminate the number of times he was involved in high level, risky behaviour.
By February 2025, Connor’s behaviour had significantly improved. The number of negative incidents reported about him had more than halved compared to the previous year, and his suspensions dropped dramatically from 10 to just 1. His attendance also saw a notable increase, rising by 13.9% to an impressive 97.9% during the 2024/25 academic year.
Connor’s growth hasn’t gone unnoticed. Staff have observed a notable change in his attitude and language. He now regularly self-corrects inappropriate language and shows increased respect towards staff and peers, earning him an impressive 108 student positive points in the summer term alone.
These changes are supported by weekly behaviour reports with personalised targets to help keep him on track, monitored by Behaviour Mentor, Nicola. This is followed by a Friday reward enrichment activity of a cooking lesson if Connor achieved his targets for the week. This enrichment time provides Connor with a sense of accomplishment and allows him to display maturity during his time in the kitchen and build stronger relationships with the staff.
Connor is due to leave Progress Schools at the end of this Summer Term. Through his time exploring future paths during his career support sessions, Connor has expressed a strong interest in becoming an electrician or mechanic and is currently exploring apprenticeship opportunities beginning after summer. His focus now until he finishes is to maintain his positive behavioural changes, attend 1:1 careers appointments for further support with his next steps where he’ll apply for both college and apprenticeships to keep his options open, and overall, to stay engaged in his lessons.
Connor’s transformation was made possible through the collaborative support of the Local Authority, consistent open communication with his social worker, carer and mainstream school, and the dedicated team around him at Progress Schools.
Connor’s story is a powerful reminder of how alternative provision, when done right, can change the trajectory of a young person’s life. His progress demonstrates the value of early intervention, personalised support, and a nurturing environment that understands behaviour as a form of communication, not defiance. With the right strategies in place, students like Connor don’t just manage, they thrive. We can’t wait to see what Connor achieves following his graduation this year!
