`Joan Mowat adapts ideas about understanding, transfer of learning, and theories of mind to help restless students deal better with their responsibilities toward others and themselves′ - Professor David Perkins, Graduate School of Education, Harvard University

′Mowat provides a valuable and comprehensive guide to the setting up, running and management of Support Groups as a whole-school initiative...This book would make an invaluable hand-book for anybody in a pastoral leadership role, who is interested in the organisation and setting up of support groups within a social setting′ - TES Website

Based on material that has been successfully tried and tested, this book provides an example of a whole school approach to setting up and managing support groups to improve the behaviour of pupils with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties.

Suitable for both primary and secondary schools, the strategies in the book align with the aims of the new Primary National Strategy and Key Stage 3 Strategy on behaviour and attendance, as well as the SEAL (Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning) curriculum, the Scottish ′Curriculum for Excellence′ and ′Happy, safe and achieving their potential′ (the standard of support for children and young people in Scottish schools).

The book explains the aims of the support group approach, and gives practical advice on:

- planning for and setting up a support group

-involving parents in the process

-assessing pupils′ progress

-the role of the Support Group Leader

-evaluating the implementations of the approach

-how this approach supports new initiatives in behaviour & attendance.

An accompanying CD contains everything necessary for implementing the approach outlined in the book, along with resources to support staff development.

Teachers, Staff Development Co-ordinators, LEA Behaviour Support Teams, Teacher Educators, Student Teachers, Support for Learning and Pastoral Care Teachers will find this an excellent and useful resource.

Joan Mowat is Lecturer in Education at the University of Strathclyde. She was previously a Deputy Headteacher in a secondary school, working with pupils with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties, and a former National Development Officer for the Scottish initiative ′Better Behaviour - Better Learning′.

Joan offers CPD courses and consultancy to local authorities and schools and can be contacted at joan.mowat@strath.ac.uk