Meeting SEMH Needs in Schools: How the BOUNCE Approach® Can Help
Schools across the UK are being challenged to evidence how they support pupils with Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) needs. EHCP numbers are rising, referrals are delayed, and Ofsted is asking tough questions about what schools themselves are providing.
The expectation is clear: you must deliver a graduated response. That means:
- Universal provision – strategies available to all pupils, every day.
- Targeted provision – structured interventions for the children who need more.
- Specialist provision – intensive support, often tied to EHCP Section F.
The BOUNCE Approach®, developed by the Child Therapy Service, gives schools a structured framework for SEMH. Even better, we train your staff to deliver it.
Universal Support – Whole School, Every Day
At universal level, BOUNCE embeds emotional wellbeing into classroom practice. Our training helps every teacher and support staff member contribute:
- Body and Nervous System Awareness: Gut Health (Member Exclusive), Sleep (Member Exclusive).
- Openness to Attachment: Effective Transition, Being Trauma Informed (Dr. Claire Stubbs), Understanding P.A.C.E.
- Sensory Differences: Interoception in the Classroom, Fidget Toys = Learning Aids, Grounding Techniques, Sensory Circuits.
- Emotions: Emotional Regulation + BOUNCE, Mindfulness, Window of Tolerance, ‘Behaviour’ and Emotional Intelligence.
- Connection: Restorative Justice, Declarative Language.
- Esteem & Identity: Being Neurodivergent Affirming, Supporting Autistic Students.
Targeted Support – When Some Need More
Some pupils need structured interventions beyond the universal offer. Our training equips staff to run these groups and individual sessions with confidence:
- Body and Nervous System Awareness: Optimal Zone (Practitioner Exclusive).
- Openness to Attachment: Running Nurture-informed Groups, De-escalation through Co-regulation, Supporting EBSA Students, Separation Anxiety, Improving Attachment through Play, Sand-based Therapy.
- Sensory Differences: Multi-Sensory Toolkits, Sensory Overwhelm, Sensory-based Story Massage.
- Emotions: Play-doh Feelings, LEGO Feelings, Drawing Feelings, Creative Arts, Reducing Anxiety (ABC method), Drumming for Regulation, Different Behaviour: Home v School (Ross Greene), Demand Avoidance.
- Connection: LEGO-based Therapy, Theory of Mind, Comic Strip Conversations, Solution Circles, Using NLP to De-escalate.
- Esteem & Identity: Tree of Life, IFS / Parts Approach, Executive Functions.
Specialist Pathways
For a small number of children, SEMH needs are complex and persistent. Here, BOUNCE feeds directly into EHCPs: clear, specified provision that can be written into Section F. Schools can access:
- Professional Development & Whole-School Practice: BOUNCE Practitioner Programme.
- Structured Interventions: Theory of Mind, Comic Strip Conversations, Creative and Expressive Arts, Lego-based Therapy, and much more.
Why Schools Choose Membership
By joining the Learning Portal, schools gain:
- A ready-made SEMH framework – BOUNCE maps directly onto universal and targeted tiers of support recognised by Ofsted and LAs.
- Practical CPD – every training is classroom-ready, giving staff tools they can use straight away.
- Evidence for accountability – training and interventions align with local authority expectations for “ordinarily available” and graduated responses.
- Scalable support – from whole-school practice to targeted interventions, staff are trained to cover every layer of SEMH need.
Final Word
The SEMH crisis isn’t going away. Schools that wait for overstretched external services risk falling short in both provision and inspection. The BOUNCE Approach®, supported by our training, helps you build universal resilience, deliver targeted interventions, and meet the statutory expectations of a graduated response.
