Restrictive Interventions

The Department for Education (DfE) has provided updated guidance for schools in England that will take effective from 1st April 2026.

The guidance includes new requirements for schools to record significant incidents where a staff member uses force on a pupil and to report these incidents to parents.

The guidance notes that there will now be an expectation on those governing to regularly review data to identify:

• Any patterns or triggers
• Areas for staff learning and development
• Potential disproportionate use of interventions, especially for pupils with SEND, protected characteristics or other vulnerabilities.