Beyond the Behaviour: Building a Culture of Compassion, Consistency and Change in Schools

Beyond the Behaviour is a timely and transformative examination of how schools can respond to the growing behavioural challenges in education with empathy, clarity, and purpose. Drawing on over two decades of experience in Welsh education, including frontline work in Pupil Referral Units (PRUs), the author presents a compelling case for a strategic, relationship-centred approach to behaviour-one that moves beyond compliance and control towards compassion and connection.
In the face of rising exclusions, increasing mental health concerns, and staff burnout, this book confronts the root causes of negative behaviour, highlighting how unmet needs, trauma, neurodiversity, and systemic inequality manifest in the classroom. It proposes a practical yet profound cultural shift: from seeing behaviour as a problem to solve, to recognising it as communication to understand.
Structured around a clear strategic framework, the book offers a rich blend of narrative, evidence, case studies, and actionable tools. Chapters cover topics including trauma-informed practice, staff wellbeing, restorative approaches, inclusive systems, leadership, family engagement, and professional development. The result is both a rallying cry and a roadmap for schools seeking to become places where all children-and adults-can thrive.
With its balance of rigorous insight and human storytelling, Beyond the Behaviour is essential reading for educators, leaders, policy-makers, and anyone committed to building compassionate, consistent, and courageous school communities. It is a book rooted in Welsh experience but resonating far beyond it, offering hope and strategy for a more inclusive future in education.