Behaviour and inclusion
Many issues can affect attendance, including:
- behaviour
- bullying
- special educational needs
The Inclusion Team advise and support schools and senior leadership teams on how to tackle them.
Support for all schools
Each school has an Inclusion Team Link Adviser. This includes secondary, free schools, primary and secondary academies.
Your Link Adviser will arrange a core meeting with you to:
- discuss the school’s inclusion needs affecting areas like attendance
- help to identify and address needs early on
- signpost to training, best practice and resources
As a result of that meeting, they may suggest purchasing bespoke support on the Services 2 Schools webshop.
Each school has an Inclusion Partnerships Adviser through the Inclusion and Alternative Provision (INCAP) team. Your Adviser can be contacted directly or you can email InclusionPartnerships@eastsussex.gov.uk if you do not know who your allocated Adviser is.
Your Adviser can arrange consultations for children at risk of PEX and, if a referral is accepted, conduct pupil observations and advise schools on next steps. Your Adviser may explore alternative provisions that would be appropriate for the pupil, or they may provide the school with strategies for in-school support.
What the Inclusion Team offer
The Inclusion Team are part of the Team Around the School and Setting (TASS).
Our role is to:
- Work in partnership with other teams from Children's Services.
- Work with the senior leadership team and teachers to develop practice.
- Analyse data to identify training needs and development as part of the school improvement plan.
- Support whole school understanding of inclusion and the links to attendance and exclusion.
- Provide in-person or virtual training which is aligned with school priorities and emerging need.
- Provide advice and coaching for staff.
We work in area-based teams to provide in-school support and advice in:
- Lewes, Coastal and Wealden
- Hastings and Rother
- Eastbourne and Hailsham
What the Inclusion and Alternative Provision (INCAP) team offer
The Inclusion and Alternative Provision (INCAP) Team supports children and young people at risk of permanent exclusion. We work closely with schools and other professionals to prevent exclusions wherever possible and to ensure the right support is in place when they do occur.
What we do:
- Work with schools and professional networks to prevent permanent exclusions
- Support schools when exclusion becomes a significant risk
- Advise senior leaders on policies and practices to meet students' needs
- Analyse suspension and exclusion data to identify trends and create targeted resources
- Share expertise through school consultations and regular webinars
- Stay up to date with local and national developments in alternative provision
- Provide professional support for staff working with vulnerable learners
Extended Support Packages
Schools can also refer to the INCAP Team for pupils who may benefit from one of our Extended Support Packages, delivered by our Extended Support Practitioners. These packages cover key areas such as:
- Anxiety
- Communication for success
- Emotional regulation
- Healthy relationships
- Internet and social media safety
- Knife awareness
- Peer pressure and exploitation
- Substance misuse
- Toxic masculinity
Contact INCAP
You can contact your Inclusion Partnerships Adviser at any time. You can also email InclusionPartnerships@eastsussex.gov.uk.
Government guidance
- Behaviour in schools | GOV.UK - how to develop a behaviour policy.
- Mental health and behaviour in schools | GOV.UK - how to support pupils whose mental health problems manifest themselves in behaviour.
- Supporting mental health in schools and colleges | GOV.UK - examples of activities to support pupils' mental health and wellbeing.
Local Guidance
Primary Behaviour Support Networks
These meetings take place in the four EIP areas every small term (six times per year). The meetings are in person and are an opportunity for schools to problem-solve issues around:
- An individual child
- A cohort of children
- The whole school
A headteacher within the EIP leads these meetings.
Anyone can bring a case to discuss (class teacher, SENCO, Headteacher, or other school staff member). Local Authority representatives attend the meeting to support discussion and give advice. The representatives are:
- CLASS Advisers
- Educational Psychologists
- INCAP Advisers
- Representatives from LSEAT
- TASS Inclusion Advisers
Dates of meetings for 2026-27 are as follows:
| Eastbourne (Stafford Junior School) | Rother, Rye and Hastings ( Ark Castledown Primary Academy) | Wealden (Manor Primary) | Ashdown and Lewes (Ashdown Primary School) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Term One | 24 September 2026 , 1pm | 09 October 2026, 1pm | 30 September 2026, 1pm | 15 September 2026, 1pm |
| Term Two | 03 December 2026, 1pm | 27 November 2027, 1pm | 11 November 2026, 1pm | 03 November 2026, 1pm |
| Term Three | 28 January 2027, 1pm | 22 January 2027, 1pm | 13 January 2027, 1pm | 05 January 2027, 1pm |
| Term Four | 25 March 2027, 1pm | 19 March 2027, 1pm | 03 March 2027, 1pm | 23 February 2027, 1pm |
| Term Five | 13 May 2027, 1pm | 07 May 2027, 1pm | 21 April 2027, 1pm | 27 April 2027, 1pm |
| Term Six | 01 July 2027, 1pm | 11 June 2027, 1pm | 16 June 2027, 1pm | 22 June 2027, 1pm |
If you would like to request a case discussion, please complete this form. You should submit a form at least two weeks before the meeting. Any requests received after this date are unlikely to be discussed, but will be considered for the following meeting.
Inclusion Partnerships
The Inclusion Partnerships (IPs) take place in the three Area Groups every month (where possible). The meetings are mixed between in person and online, and are an opportunity for secondary schools to raise individual pupils that schools require advice on supporting. Schools can also submit an application for Complex Case Funding (up to £1,000 per case).
Local Authority representatives attend the meeting to support discussion and give advice. The representatives are:
| Service | Representative |
|---|---|
| Mainstream schools | Senior Leaders with decision making authority from each school |
| East Sussex Academy | Senior Leaders and Managers with decision making authority, and representatives from the Outreach team. |
| Communication, Learning and Autism Support Service (CLASS) | Deputy Service Manager for each area |
| Early Help Keywork Service | Practice Manager for each area |
| Education Psychology Service (EPS) | Senior Educational Psychologist for each area |
| Education Safeguarding | Safeguarding Consultant for each area |
| Inclusion and Alternative Provision (INCAP) | Strategic Lead (Chair), Deputy Service Manager (Deputy Chair), Project Officer, Team Leader: Extended Support, IP Advisers (for each area) and Extended Support Practitioners where relevant and appropriate. |
| Mental Health Support Team | Team Manager for each area |
| SEND Quality of Education | SEND Quality of Education for each area |
| SEND Transition into Post-16 | Team representative |
| Team Around the School and Setting (TASS) | Area Manager |
| Virtual School | Headteacher, and/or Education Adviser for each area |
| Youth Justice Service | Education Coordinator |
| Month | Application Deadline | Triage date | Area Group 1 | Area Group 2 | Area Group 3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September | Tuesday 08 September 2026, 4pm | Friday 11 September 2026 | Wednesday 16 September 2026, 3.30pm-5.30pm | Thursday 17 September 2026, 3.30pm-5.30pm | Tuesday 15 September 2026, 8.30am-10.30am |
| October | Tuesday 06 October 2026, 4pm | Friday 09 October 2026 | Wednesday 14 October 2026, 3.30pm-5.30pm | Thursday 15 October 2026, 3.30pm-5.30pm | Tuesday 13 October 2026, 8.30am-10.30am |
| November | Tuesday 17 November 2026, 4pm | Friday 20 November 2026 | Wednesday 25 November 2026, 3.30pm-5.30pm | Thursday 26 November 2026, 3.30pm-5.30pm | Tuesday 24 November 2026, 8.30am-10.30am |
| January | Tuesday 05 January 2027, 4pm | Friday 08 January 2027 | Wednesday 13 January 2027, 3.30pm-5.30pm | Thursday 14 January 2027, 3.30pm-5.30pm | Tuesday 12 January 2027, 8.30am-10.30am |
| February | Tuesday 09 February 2027, 4pm | Friday 12 February 2027 | Wednesday 24 February 2027, 3.30pm-5.30pm | Thursday 25 February 2027, 3.30pm-5.30pm | Tuesday 23 February 2027, 8.30am-10.30am |
| March | Tuesday 09 March 2027, 4pm | Friday 12 March 2027 | Wednesday 17 March 2027, 3.30pm-5.30pm | Thursday 18 March 2027, 3.30pm-5.30pm | Tuesday 16 March 2027, 8.30am-10.30am |
| April/May | Tuesday 27 April 2027, 4pm | Friday 30 April 2027 | Wednesday 05 May 2027, 3.30pm-5.30pm | Thursday 06 May 2027, 3.30pm-5.30pm | Tuesday 04 May 2027, 8.30am-10.30am |
| May/June | Tuesday 25 May 2027, 4pm | Friday 28 May 2027 | Wednesday 09 June 2027, 3.30pm-5.30pm | Thursday 10 June 2027, 3.30pm-5.30pm | Tuesday 08 June2027, 8.30am-10.30am |
| June/July | Tuesday 29 June 2027, 4pm | Friday 02 July 2027 | Wednesday 07 July 2027, 3.30pm-5.30pm | Thursday 08 July 2027, 3.30pm-5.30pm | Tuesday 06 July 2027, 8.30am-10.30am |
