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The end of term is usually characterised by feelings of excitement, anticipation and – to a certain degree for some – relief. After weeks of hard work, the school holidays approach, and students, teachers, support staff, and leaders can begin to look forward to a well-earned rest. It’s a chance to say goodbye to academic pursuits, at least for a while.
However, despite all the excitement, there can sometimes be an increase in behaviour incidents leading up to the holiday period, and some students can struggle to regulate themselves during those final weeks and days in school. The question is: why?
As the end of term approaches, daily life in the classroom often changes: well-established routines can drop off as students complete topics, wrap up coursework and, depending on their age and stage, sit statutory exams.
This can result in alterations to the usual timetable, leaving some children and young people feeling uncertain and anxious. While there are often end-of-term celebrations and activities to experience and enjoy, for some students, a lack of structure and routine can cause them to feel dysregulated, to the point where they may engage in behaviours that need our support.
Sometimes, behaviour can be exacerbated by tiredness and, after a long, busy term, both students and staff members are exhausted, emotionally, cognitively, and physically. This can lead to an increase in behaviour incidents, as everyone across the school community grapples with exhaustion.
To relax, recuperate and reset, some families plan holidays away from home, giving children and young people the opportunity to travel to new and exciting places. While this is invariably a positive thing, the anticipation of impending trips away can affect behaviour in the preceding weeks and days. Whether a student is excited or anxious at the prospect of leaving their familiar environment, it can often leave them feeling unsettled and dysregulated.
And for those students who may not be going away, but for whom school provides a sense of stability and consistency, any break from their daily routine can be daunting.
My Family Coach has a wealth of resources to help families navigate school holidays together.
It would seem, then, that the build-up to school holidays can sometimes present us with a number of challenges around behaviour support. With so many variables at play, we need to continually assess the landscape, and consider what steps we can take, as leaders, teachers, and support staff, to help our students successfully navigate this time of year.
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