Welcome to Wingspan, our new training initiative focusing on supporting staff working with children and young people with Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH), Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) and challenging behaviours within mainstream and SEN settings.  We have a range of courses designed to provide knowledge and strategies on how to avoid and manage conflict and when conflict occurs positive ways to manage these situations.

Over the last few years, we have become a leader in supporting local schools in behavioural strategies and collaborating with teacher training providers such as:

·     Two Mile Ash Initial Training Partnership

·     Chiltern Training Group

·     Tommy Flowers

To equip future teachers with simple but effective strategies to support them in their new roles.  

The feedback we have received has been amazing, and demand has grown to the point we now feel it is time to spread our wings and fly.  

We offer a range of flexible training and support plans to meet a range of needs supporting both staff and children and young people, our current packages include:

·     Positive Behaviour Training (Team Teach), level 1 and level 2, to anyone within the Milton Keynes Local Authority area. 

·     Positive Practice in the Class (available to all local authorities).

·     Needs Led Outcome and Support Training (available to all local authorities).

·     Outreach Specialist Support (available to all local authorities).

·     Bespoke Training for inset days and twilight sessions (available to all local authorities).

Our aim is to provide the best quality training and support at a cost which makes it accessible to all.

Training Team

Ruth Hill

Outreach Lead, Trainer,

Team Teach Intermediate Trainer

Ruth has 30 years’ experience working with young people and adults around behavioural change, within education, health and local government.  Based at Romans Field School for the last 8 years, she combines real life practical strategies, along with her knowledge as a Specialist Protective Behaviours Practitioner, Neurolinguistic Programming Practitioner and Solution Focused Practitioner, within all the training that she has developed and delivers. 

Steve Tysom

Head of School,

Team Teach Intermediate Trainer

Steve has over 20 years of experience working with children in both mainstream and special needs settings, working with all levels of ability from P scales to GCSE, with children with a broad variety of needs to include Autism, SEMH, multiple learning difficulties and complex needs.  Currently Head of Romans Field School. Steve is passionate about sharing best practices, skills and experience across the federation and beyond, to encourage all practitioners to develop strategies, understanding and skills required to support children learn to regulate and develop academically, socially and emotionally to become the best version of themselves.

Emily Hoskinson

Class Teacher, Behaviour Lead,

 Team Teach Intermediate Trainer

Emily has been working with children for 10 years and has experience across both mainstream and special schools. As behaviour lead at Romans Field School, Emily has experience working with children who show challenging behaviours and helping staff to identify the most effective strategies to support each child they work with. Emily has completed her Intermediate Team Teach Trainer course and combines this, and skills developed over her career to train others in supporting children with challenging behaviours and helping all children to be successful individuals.

Training Packages

Package 1: Positive Behaviour Training - Level One

Delivered by our own Team Teach Accredited Intermediate Instructors who bring a range of expertise in managing challenging behaviours and supporting behavioural change.  All of our trainers are based daily within an SEMH setting, whilst also supporting staff and pupils at our mainstream, federated schools.

Team Teach believes that all behaviour is communication being driven by experiences and emotions. We deliver a toolkit approach that is 95% understanding behaviours and encouraging de-escalation. The 5% assesses the need for physical intervention.

Who is this course for?

This course is suitable for anyone new to positive handling and who is operating in a low-risk primary or secondary school setting would benefit from this course, which offers a grounding in positive behaviour management strategies applicable across these environments. 

This course is also suitable for anyone needing to renew their level one training.

Learning Outcomes

Participants will learn how to:

• Increase understanding and awareness of behaviour as communication and develop a framework to better respond to reduce risk.
• Create a greater team dynamic in supporting individuals who are distressed with approaches that have impact and strengthen relationships.
• Utilise a toolkit of holistic strategies on de-escalation and crisis intervention, both verbal and non-verbal for supporting with disruptive and distressed behaviours.
• Execute simple and safe positive handling techniques including personal safety, appropriate for a low-risk environment (if required by your setting). Our techniques are situated within a respectful, supportive approach to behaviour support strategies which maintains positive relationships.

Level One Course Information

All refreshments (including lunch) are provided free of charge

Package 2: Positive Behaviour Training - Level Two

Our engaging Level Two course (12 hr) in positive behaviour management is available for organisations supporting children, young people and vulnerable adults with documented special needs or challenging behaviours, and who may pose a risk to themselves or others in medium-risk Education and Health and Social Care settings.

If you are interested in this package, please contact us using our contact form below.

In January 2024 Team Teach launched Connect (a platform to access support, resources and admin for your setting). 

Please Note:  The Team Teach Connect Fee will be charged per setting if you have staff that have Team Teach training with any provider.  Invoices will be sent directly to your setting from Team Teach.

For 2025, the annual Team Teach Connect fee will reflect the size of your setting and the number of Team Teach-certified staff.

Here’s our new banded pricing structure:

• 0–24 certified staff: £160 (+ VAT)
• 25+ certified staff: £200 (+ VAT)

This per setting fee ensures every certified individual in your setting can access Team Teach Connect’s award-winning Knowledge Hub resources and the Support Service.

Package 3: Bespoke Positive Practice in the Classroom (Including behaviour strategies and de-escalation techniques).

Developed and delivered by our Outreach Lead, the session includes elements of neurolinguistic programming, an approach that focuses on how you communicate yourself and with others, and how this affects your behaviours and behaviour outcomes, alongside a protective behaviour ethos.

Courses can be delivered over 2, 3 or 4 hour sessions and may cover the areas of shared meaning, ‘I’ messages, noticing comments, choices to support need and within de-escalation, recognising escalating behaviours, verbal de-escalation techniques and body language.  With practical exercises, along with time for discussion, the session aims to leave you feeling more confident and with strategies you can take away and use with pupils of any age.  We can also explore Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and Trauma and their impact on pupils, before looking more generally at needs of pupils.  We take time to discuss what behaviours may communicate these needs and how our reactions and approach can make a real difference.  

Training can be booked and can be delivered at your setting with costs starting at £250 up to 25 people and £400 25 – 50 people.  (We are more than happy for schools to ‘buddy up’ to reduce individual costs).

Package 4: Outreach visits

Schools who have accessed training through Wingspan, can now book half day visits for advice on how to implement and embed training across the whole school, class teams or individualise for specific pupils.  Visits can be booked for either a morning or afternoon and are priced at £70 per half day session or whole day at £140.  Following the visit, staff will receive a record of the visit with further information on strategies and support.

To book a session, please complete the booking form below, stating full or half day, and preferred dates and we will confirm with you directly

Package 5: Behaviour Support Drop-In Sessions

Lead by our behaviour specialists, these sessions provide an opportunity to  meet with others and share difficulties, strategies and experience.

Sessions are held half-termly from 3.30pm - 5.30pm and are free of charge but places are limited to 16, so please use the booking form to secure your spot!

Positive Behaviour Training: Level One - Feedback

Above feedback from Barleyhurst Park Primary School - Course Date 05.06.23

Positive Practice in the Classroom - Feedback

For any general enquiries please contact us on wingspan@ilf.education