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
Contact the Inclusion Team
Inclusion helpline
Phone: 01273 481 967 (open Monday to Friday 8.30am to 2.30pm).
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
- Emotional regulation
- Healthy relationships
- Internet and social media safety
- Knife awareness
- Peer pressure and exploitation
- Substance misuse
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
Restrictive physical intervention and use of reasonable force guidance for settings, schools and colleges [146.7 KB] [docx]
ESA Policy [120.0 KB] [doc]
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:
- Educational Psychologists
- CLASS Advisers
- TASS Inclusion Advisers
- INCAP Advisers
- Representatives from LSEAT
Dates of meetings for 2025-26 are as follows:
| Eastbourne (Stafford Junior School) | Rother, Rye and Hastings (Ore Village Primary Academy) | Wealden (Manor Primary) | Ashdown and Lewes (Chailey St Peters) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Term One | 16 October 2025, 1pm | 10 October 2025, 9am | 15 October 2025, 1pm | 07 October 2025, 1pm |
| Term Two | 11 December 2025, 1pm | 05 December 2025, 9am | 03 December 2025, 1pm | 25 November 2025, 1pm |
| Term Three | 05 February 2026, 1pm | 06 February 2026, 9am | 11 February 2026, 1pm | 27 January 2026, 1pm |
| Term Four | 19 March 2026, 1pm | 20 March 2026, 9am | 18 March 2026, 1pm | 17 March 2026, 1pm |
| Term Five | 7 May 2026, 1pm | 08 May 2026, 9am | 20 May 2026, 1pm | 12 May 2026, 1pm |
| Term Six | 25 June 2026, 1pm | 26 June 2026, 9am | 17 June 2026, 1pm | 30 June 2026, 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
These meetings 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:
- Educational Psychologists
- CLASS Advisers
- TASS Inclusion Advisers
- INCAP Advisers
- Representatives from East Sussex Academy
- Early Help Keyworkers
- MHEW Practitioners
- Safeguarding representatives
Dates of meetings for 2025-26 are as follows:
| Area Group One (Lewes, Coastal and Wealden) | Area Group Two (Eastbourne and Hailsham) | Area Group Three (Rother, Rye and Hastings) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| September | 17 September 2025 (3.30pm-5.30pm) | 18 September 2025 (2.15pm-5.20pm) | 16 September 2025 (8.30am-10.30am) |
| October | 15 October 2025 (3.30pm-5.30pm) | 16 October (3.30pm-5.30pm) | 14 October 2025 (8.30am-10.30am |
| November | 26 November 2025 (3.30pm-5.30pm) | 27 November 2025 (2.15pm-5.30pm) | 25 November 2025 (8.30am-10.30am) |
| January | 14 January 2026 (3.30pm-5.30pm) | 15 January 2026 (3.30pm-5.30pm) | 13 January 2026 (8.30am-10.20am) |
| February | 11 February 2026 (3.30pm-5.30pm) | 12 February 2026 (2.15pm-5.30pm) | 10 February 2026 (8.30am-10.30am) |
| March | 18 March 2026 (3.30pm-5.30pm) | 19 March 2026 (3.30pm-5.30pm) | 17 March 2026 (8.30am-10.30am) |
| April | 29 April 2026 (3.30pm-5.30pm) | 30 April 2026 (2.15pm-5.30pm) | 28 April 2026 (8.30am-10.30am) |
| June | 03 June 2026 (3.30pm-5.30pm) | 04 June 2026 (3.30pm-5.30pm) | 02 June 2026 (8.30am-10.30am) |
| July | 08 July 2026 (3.30pm-5.30pm) | 09 July 2026 (2.15pm-5.30pm) | 07 July 2026 (8.30am-10.30am) |
If you would like to request a case discussion, or request funding, please complete this form. All applications are taken the the Inclusion Partnership Triage meeting. Triage is held on the Friday before the week of the IPs. Application deadline dates and Triage dates are as follows:
| Month | Application Deadline | Triage date |
|---|---|---|
| September | 09 September 2025, 4pm | 12 September 2025 |
| October | 07 October 2025, 4pm | 10 October 2025 |
| November | 18 November 2025, 4pm | 21 November 2025 |
| January | 06 January 2026, 4pm | 08 January 2026 |
| February | 03 February 2026, 4pm | 06 February 2026 |
| March | 10 March 2026, 4pm | 13 March 2026 |
| April | 21 April 2026, 4pm | 24 April 2026 |
| June | 19 May 2026, 4pm | 22 May 2026 |
| July | 30 June 2026, 4pm | 03 July 2026 |
