Reconnect placement: 6-week course

This six-week reconnect placement is designed to support children who are experiencing behavioural, emotional, or social difficulties that are impacting their success in a mainstream setting. Pupils on connect placement will attend Unity Academy for morning sessions (9.15am-12.15pm) to access targeted support and personalised learning opportunities. From 12.15pm pupils will return to their mainstream school, accompanied and supported by Unity Academy staff where appropriate, to promote successful reintegration and the transfer of skills into their everyday school environment.

The programme aims to build pupils' confidence, self-regulation, resilience, and positive relationships while maintaining their connection to their mainstream school and curriculum.

 

What can a reconnect placement offer pupils:

• Development of emotional regulation and self-management skills.
• Development of communication and problem-solving skills. 
• Development of social skills.
• Improved engagement in learning. 
• Improved relationships with peers and adults.
• Increased confidence, self-esteem, and resilience.
• Understand behaviour as communication. 
• Safer choices and decision-making. 
• Preparation for successful reintegration. 
• Strengthen collaboration between home and school.

 

The reconnect placement will include:

• Small groups (4-8 pupils).
• Led by a specialist teacher and TA. 
• consistency, structure and predictability. 
• Daily check-in and emotional wellbeing activities.
• Explicit teaching of social, emotional and behavioural skills. 
• Teaching behaviour as communication.
• Restorative and reflective practice.
• Personalised academic support as appropriate to needs.
• Development of individual pastoral support plans and success strategies. 

 

Example outcomes after reconnect placements:

• Identify emotional triggers
• Use of agreed regulation strategies 
• Improve attendance and punctuality
• Increase time engaged in learning
• Reduce incidents and exclusions
• Demonstrate positive relationships
• Return to mainstream lessons successfully. 

 

Why do pupils return to mainstream schools in the afternoon?

Opportunity to practice skills:

Social learning theory (Bandura) and behaviour change research suggest pupils are taught regulation, communication and problem-solving in a small, supportive environment. They are then provided with the opportunity to practice these skills immediately in a mainstream setting. It reduces the gap between learning a skill and using it in a real life setting. The (EEF) found that targeted behaviour interventions can improve outcomes and reduce disruption when they are explicitly taught and consistently applied.

 

Maintains a sense of belonging:

It allows pupils to maintain connections. Children are more likely to succeed when they have connections with peers and teachers, rather than pupils being fully removed from their known education setting.  

 

It offers a relational reset:

Many children referred to an AP have had experiences of failure, conflict or exclusion. Attachment theory (Bowlby) and trauma informed practice suggest that behaviour is communication of unmet need. Rather than deliberate defiance. Small groups, high adult ratio, strong relationships, predictable routine and opportunities for success improve social emotional and behavioural functioning and reduce risk of exclusion. 

 

It supports a graduated approach to intervention:

Our model reflects the current DfE thinking that AP should be an intervention to support inclusion, not simply a destination. We work hard with schools and families to ensure pupils return successfully to the mainstream wherever possible.