SAASHOW Exhibitor: How Flourish Is Supporting Schools to Reduce Exclusions

Schools are dealing with more than ever right now, from rising exclusions to increasingly complex pupil needs and growing pressure around attendance and behaviour.

At Flourish, we work with schools through our Attachment and Trauma training programme, supporting staff to better understand behaviour, respond more effectively, and build consistent approaches across the whole school.

In our latest impact report covering 347 schools across 20 local authorities, we’ve seen the real difference this is making in schools. There was a reduction in exclusions of 21% in Year 0–2 of implementation compared to national trends. Local Authorities benefited from an estimated £6 million in cost avoidance, equivalent to around £9 saved for every £1 invested. This is reflected in more pupils staying in mainstream education, fewer escalations into high-cost placements, and less pressure on already stretched staff and budgets.

[KK1]Should be 20 LAs instead of 18 - Lancashire, Birmingham, Buckinghamshire, Thurrock, Hounslow, Sandwell, Reading, Barnet, Wolverhampton, Luton, North Lincolnshire, Middlesbrough, Warwickshire, Essex, Hillingdon, Cumbria, Kent, Redcar and Cleveland, Leeds, and Dudley.

That impact comes from what’s changing in day–to–day practice.

Staff feel more confident in how they respond to behaviour. There’s more consistency across teams. And there’s a clear shift away from reacting to behaviour, towards understanding the needs behind it.

That consistency matters. When staff respond in a more aligned, relational way, pupils experience more stability, and that’s where we start to see fewer exclusions, better engagement, and stronger outcomes.

As one school leader shared, “It’s changed how we understand behaviour across the whole school – not just how we respond to it.”

We’re also seeing that this isn’t a single initiative or quick fix. The schools seeing the biggest impact are taking a whole-school approach – building shared understanding, embedding consistent practice, and supporting staff to respond with confidence every day.

Alongside this Attachment and Trauma Training Programme, we support schools and trusts with safeguarding, compliance, and whole-school training, helping to build safer, more inclusive school environments.

If you’re exploring how to strengthen inclusion, safeguarding, or wider school practice, come and have a chat – we’d love to share what we’re seeing work in schools right now.

We’ll be at the Schools & Academies Show at Excel, London (Stand F50).