Understanding distressed behaviour through a sensory lens
19 November 2026: 9.30 am – 12.30 pm
Supporting distressed, dysregulated and behaviourally challenged learners in SEND classrooms
Behaviour is often a form of communication — particularly for neurodiverse learners and pupils experiencing dysregulation.
This practical course explores sensory-informed and low-arousal approaches that help staff better understand behaviour, reduce distress and support learning.
Drawing on real classroom experience, Clive introduces practical sensory and relational strategies that help reduce distress, increase engagement and create calmer learning environments.
Clive then moves on to explore how to analyse behaviours such as refusal, aggression, shouting and spitting by examining the underlying purpose the behaviour may serve for the learner.
Staff will leave with realistic, classroom-ready strategies they can implement immediately.
Session 1: Creating Calm, Regulated Classrooms
Clive explores how behaviour often tells us something important, especially when learners are dysregulated, overloaded or struggling to cope. This practical session looks at why traditional behaviour systems do not always work for neurodiverse learners, and how staff can create classrooms that feel calmer, safer and easier to access. We will look at early signs of sensory overload, simple environmental changes that can reduce escalation, and practical sensory strategies that help learners settle, engage and take part. The focus is not on controlling behaviour, but on understanding what is happening, reducing distress and using co-regulation approaches that staff can put into practice straight away.
Participants will take away:
sensory regulation ideas
low-arousal classroom strategies
practical de-escalation techniques
ideas to improve learner engagement and reduce classroom stress
Session 2: Understanding the Function of Behaviour
This session looks at what behaviour may be trying to tell us and why it happens in the first place. This practical session explores the purpose behind behaviours such as refusal, shouting, aggression and spitting, while also looking at triggers, patterns and environmental influences. We will consider the impact behaviour can have on peers, staff and the wider classroom. The focus is on helping teams develop consistent, supportive responses, using a clear, practical framework to understand behaviour better and respond in ways that reduce distress, build trust, and support learning.
Participants will take away:
a clear behaviour-analysis framework
more confidence in responding to distressed behaviour
practical strategies for reducing escalation
approaches that support both learner and staff wellbeing
9.30 am Admission and virtual tea/coffee to start the session!
9.35 am Welcome, introduction to the session with clarification of key outcomes.
9..45 am Session 1: Creating Calm, Regulated Classrooms
10.45 am Coffee!
Session 2: Understanding the Function of Behaviour
12.20 pm Q & A
12.30 pm Thank you and goodbye!
This course will be appropriate for classroom practitioners from special schools and colleges, mainstream settings with specialist SEN provision and early years settings, and working with pupils with severe/complex learning needs and autism, or both.
Find more about Clive Smith
The cost is £149 plus VAT per delegate. You can select multiple places on the booking form.
You can pay by credit card for this booking or request an invoice on the booking form.
The recording of this event will be in your account at online.hirstwood.com. You will access this using the email address on the booking form and your password (instructions for creating your password are in the joining information).
Here you will find:
a digital recording of the event
a transcript of the Zoom chat
These will be available for 10 days after the event.
NEW for 2025!
We will suggest practical reflective practice for this event to support you in implementing your key takeaways from this session in the classroom.
We’ll also offer a toolkit of additional resources to help, which may include further documentation, videos or links to valuable resources/websites.
Please join our Facebook Group, Sensory Support Spaghetti, to connect with us and other like-minded professionals – for everything sensory!
NEW FOR 2026!
