Hard Cases: Exploring complex behaviour challenges through case studies

Are you a school leader responsible for behaviour? Join a national network of peers tackling the most complex and common behaviour challenges in schools today.

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Hard Cases is a unique CPD programme designed specifically for behaviour leads. Through five expertly crafted case conferences, you’ll gain practical insights, share strategies and build the confidence to lead behaviour with clarity and purpose.

22% of behaviour leads say they cannot access professional learning tailored to their role (DfE National Behaviour Survey). Hard Cases fills that gap.

By joining the programme you will:

• Explore five challenging and realistic behaviour cases drawn from real school experiences.
• Join a national network of behaviour leaders to share perspectives and solutions.
• Receive case narratives, curated resources and anonymised discussion notes to support your work in school.
• Learn from experienced school leaders who’ve successfully navigated these challenges.

Each ‘case’ is designed by experienced school professionals leading on behaviour, drawing upon wisdom from a range of actual cases they have managed, so that the narratives are realistic and resonant in their complexity. Over the five sessions, participants will explore:

The Corridor Chaos Case
Turning everyone’s concern into everyone’s business

The Pushy Parent Case
Putting the child back at the centre in engaging families

The Disregarded Disruption Case
Keeping behaviour in view among competing priorities

The Exclusion Escapee Case
Restoring equilibrium in the face of failed processes

The Clashing Cultures Case
Navigating the gap between idealism and pragmatism

Each session includes:

• A pre-released case narrative with thought-provoking questions
• A 75-minute live webinar with peer discussion
• Follow-up notes capturing key insights
• Curated resources to deepen your learning

SSAT’s Hard Cases programme is suitable for:

• Senior leaders with whole-school behaviour responsibility
• Middle leaders aspiring to behaviour leadership roles
• Newly appointed or experienced behaviour leads
• Reflective practitioners seeking collaborative, practice-based CPD

Why choose SSAT’s Case Method?

SSAT’s case methods approach is what Lee Shulman refers to as a “signature pedagogy”. We have learned from case-based approaches in the fields of law, business and medicine to inform our approach, which we piloted and refined in our Head Cases programme for headteachers.

Case methods reflect and build on the professional learning capacities and needs of educators. Hard Cases will help practitioners develop what Shulman calls the “wisdom of practice” through working with others on issues at the boundary of the theoretical and the practical.

Programme lead

Dr Keven Bartle, Senior Education Lead, SSAT

Keven has been a teacher for almost three decades and was headteacher at a richly diverse secondary school in London for nine years. Through his career, Keven has been committed to the power of education for social justice and transformation, working in schools where staff make a difference to the lives of children, families and communities.

Book a call with Keven