Over the last few years, changes in education have made it increasingly hard for those children who don’t ‘fi t’ the system – the square pegs. Budget cuts, the loss of support staff, an overly academic curriculum, problems in the special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) system and diffi culties accessing mental health support have all compounded pre-existing problems with behaviour and attendance. The ‘attendance = attainment’ and zero-tolerance narrative is often at odds with the way schools want to work with their communities, and many school leaders don’t know which approach to take. This book will be invaluable in guiding leaders and teaching staff through the most effective ways to address this challenge. It covers a broad spectrum of opportunity, from proven psychological approaches to technological innovations. It tests the boundaries of the current system in terms of curriculum, pedagogy and statutory Department for Education guidance. And it also presents a clear, legalese-free view of education, SEND and human rights law, where leaders have been given responsibility for its implementation but may not always fully understand the legal ramifi cations of their decisions or may be pressured into unlawful behaviour. Features and benefi ts:
* Puts forward approaches that work with pupils who are currently square pegs in a rigid system of round holes.
* Brings very different perspectives and expertise together in one place, all with the aim of helping school leaders and staff support children (and their families) more effectively.
* Covers a wide variety of topics – including school attendance, building relationships, trauma-informed practice, and behaviour management.
* Offers an accessible, dip-in, dip-out book for busy school leaders, featuring contributions from more than 50 individual authors.
Fran Morgan founded Square Peg in 2019, following her own daughter’s struggles in the education system, and with clear evidence that there were (and still are) a growing number of square pegs.
Square Peg has always been about effecting change, and works closely with another organisation – Not Fine In School – which supports the same children and families.
Ellie Costello joined Square Peg as Director in 2020, having experienced life as the parent of two children with a trauma profi le, largely due to their experiences in the education system. She now runs
the organisation, as well as acting as an Expert By Experience with local authority and health teams in her home county of Warwickshire.
Ian Gilbert is the founder of Independent Thinking Ltd, an international education speaker and trainer and an award-winning author and publisher. He is the principal editor for all the Independent Thinking
Press books as well as the author of titles including The Little Book of Thunks, recipient of an inaugural Society of Authors award for an education book, and the compiler and editor of The Working Class
with over 40 contributors seeking to change the narrative around educating children from poorer socio-economic backgrounds.
