'Over To You': Group work to help pupils avoid school exclusion

This paper describes the support of secondary pupils at risk of school exclusion through a course of group work designed to promote individual responsibility for behaviour. Following self-reflection the young people are encouraged to write their own behavioural targets and consider their progress in working towards them throughout the six-session course. The results of a study involving a mixed group of five Year 8 pupils are reported. All the pupils increased their self-rating scores on a social skills assessment form completed before and after the course, and were also rated more highly by their teachers. Seven months later the five pupils had maintained behavioural improvements and had not been excluded.