Bridgelea Primary PRU, Manchester

Phil Hoyland, Headteacher

Previously, a lot of time was being spent on writing up incidents of physical intervention with pupils. Because this information was on paper, it meant that accurate data for analysis was not readily available. The old system was very time consuming as the paper form needed to be circulated amongst staff before it was complete. There was also doubling of duties in terms of entering the information into a bound and numbered book and then signing off each incident.

The information we had from the paper system was difficult to analyse. Previously we had to create our own spread sheets, sift through the paperwork, and then enter in the data manually. This meant that staff used up most of their planning and preparation time to complete this process. Because information was entered as free text, this meant staff wrote subjective accounts from which it was difficult to extract objective data.

We now use IRIS Adapt to log accidents and near-misses as well as behaviour incidents along with any Team Teach physical interventions. We record the number and type of incidents to track incident trends. We also record which holds are being used by staff on which pupils and the number of holds each member of staff is involved in. This gives useful comparative data regarding the use of escorts and physical interventions. The analysis we get from IRIS Adapt helps us track changes in behaviour incidents over time and to review the impact of strategies. We also share behaviour incident data with pupils to show the risks they are taking. We can also track different cohorts over time and assess the impact of strategic decisions.

The Adapt system provides us with detailed information in terms of the number and type of behaviours the children are displaying.  The analysis data is used for both pupil reviews and also performance management, i.e., for supporting staff to assess their responses incidents and use of PI (physical intervention).  It is also used for reports to governors regarding the performance of the school as a whole in the number of incidents and the types of incidents. Having this data enables us to identify staff training needs and areas for development. We can identify those classes having significant number of incidents and can readily identify areas of concern such as time of the day, transition points, end of sport lessons etc.

The data we get from the system is especially useful for pupil target setting and for staff training. For example, we can now readily identify the types of holds being used in school, by which staff and for which pupils. This information is used in performance management meetings with staff and at multi-agency meetings for pupils.

Using IRIS Adapt gives us more time to focus what the data is showing us, rather than spending time collating and processing the data manually. Staff can complete an incident report in under 5 minutes, rather than the 30 minutes it often took previously. Our staff report much better time management and safeguarding is significantly improved as under-reporting of incidents is much reduced.

The thing we like best is that we can access the data wherever we are and find the information we need with a couple of clicks. We can look at strategic next steps to support pupils in making better behaviour choices. It enables staff to readily assess the impact of the strategies they have put in place for individual pupils, groups, and the whole school.

About the school:

Bridgelea is a pupil referral unit for up to 36 pupils in Key Stages 1 and 2 who have either been permanently excluded from mainstream school or who are in danger of becoming so, because of social, emotional, or behavioural difficulties. The school is graded Good in all areas. Support is also offered to mainstream primary schools in order to help them to manage and improve the behaviour of individual pupils to reduce the likelihood of exclusion.