DfE Restrictive Physical Intervention: Updated Requirements for Schools

Understanding the New Recording and Reporting Framework from April 2026

All schools in England have legal powers to use reasonable force and restrictive physical intervention when necessary to maintain good order and discipline, prevent harm, and protect the welfare of pupils and staff. The Department for Education’s guidance on restrictive interventions sets out the parameters for when, how, and why physical intervention may be used in schools.

This article examines the updated statutory framework effective from April 2026, the changes from previous guidance, and provides comprehensive checklists to ensure your school’s physical intervention policies are compliant, safe, and effective.

Image: AI-generated for illustrative purposes

Timeline of Changes

The new guidance expands the scope from “reasonable force” to “restrictive interventions” and introduces mandatory recording and reporting requirements for significant incidents.

Legal Framework: Section 93 Education and Inspections Act 2006

Teachers and authorised staff retain the legal power under Section 93 to use reasonable force to:

• Prevent a pupil from committing an offence
• Prevent a pupil from causing injury to themselves or others
• Prevent damage to property
• Maintain good order and discipline

This power applies wherever staff have lawful control, including on school premises, trips, and travel.

What Has Changed from April 2026

Previous Position (Until 31 March 2026)

Under the 2013 guidance, schools had discretion over recording and reporting incidents, with no statutory requirement to report each significant incident.

New Requirements (From 1 April 2026)

• Mandatory recording of each significant incident involving restrictive intervention
• Reports must be submitted as required by the statutory framework
• Broader scope covering “restrictive interventions” not just “reasonable force”
• Enhanced focus on prevention and de-escalation strategies
• Training requirements on new recording and reporting procedures

When is Force Reasonable and Necessary

Force is reasonable when proportionate to circumstances, necessary in the situation, and no more than absolutely needed.

Appropriate Use Cases

• Removing a pupil refusing to leave a classroom
• Preventing a fight or violent assault
• Preventing a pupil running into danger
• Restraining a pupil destroying property
• Escorting a pupil to a safe space
• Preventing a pupil leaving school when required to remain

What Staff Must Never Do

• Use force as punishment
• Use force to enforce academic compliance
• Use mechanical restraints unless specifically authorised
• Use prone restraint (face-down on floor)
• Use restraint restricting breathing
• Use humiliating or degrading force

Mandatory Recording Requirements from April 2026

For each significant incident, schools must record:

Basic Information

• Date and time of the incident
• Location where the incident occurred
• Names of all staff involved
• Names of all pupils involved
• Names of any witnesses present

Circumstances

• What was happening immediately before the incident
• What triggered the need for intervention
• Whether de-escalation strategies were attempted
• What those strategies were and why they were unsuccessful

Intervention Details

• Type of restrictive intervention used
• Duration of the intervention
• Position or hold used
• Number of staff involved
• Whether the pupil was injured
• Whether any staff were injured

Outcome and Follow-up

• How the incident was resolved
• Any immediate consequences or sanctions
• Medical attention provided if applicable
• Actions taken after the incident
• Whether parents were notified

Records must be completed as soon as reasonably practicable after the incident, within 24 hours at the latest.

Image: AI-generated for illustrative purposes

Parental Notification Requirements

Parents or carers must be notified of any significant incident involving restrictive physical intervention. This includes:

• Any incident where force was used to restrain a pupil
• Any incident where a pupil was injured
• Any incident where significant property damage occurred
• Any incident that may have safeguarding implications

How Parents Should Be Notified

• For serious incidents, parents should be contacted by telephone on the same day
• A written record of the incident should be sent to parents within 24 hours where possible
• Parents should be offered the opportunity to meet with school staff to discuss the incident
• For pupils where interventions are used frequently, regular communication with parents is essential

Training Requirements

Who Must Be Trained

All staff who may need to use restrictive physical intervention should receive appropriate training, including teachers, teaching assistants, pastoral staff, senior leaders, and support staff who work directly with pupils.

What Training Must Cover

• Legal framework (Section 93 Education and Inspections Act 2006)
• The school’s policy on restrictive interventions
• Prevention and de-escalation strategies
• Positive handling techniques
• Recording and reporting procedures
• Individual needs and risk assessments
• When not to intervene

Refresher Training

Staff should receive refresher training annually as a minimum, more frequently if they are involved in regular interventions, after any significant changes to guidance or policy, or following serious incidents where practice needs to be reviewed.

Safeguarding Requirements

Role of the Designated Safeguarding Lead

The DSL must be informed of all significant incidents, review patterns of incidents to identify concerns, ensure interventions are not masking safeguarding issues, ensure pupils are not subject to excessive or inappropriate restraint, and report to the governing body on trends and concerns.

Safeguarding Concerns to Watch For

• Patterns of frequent restraint for individual pupils
• Restraint being used for behaviour that may indicate unmet needs
• Injuries occurring during restraint
• Disproportionate use of restraint with particular groups of pupils
• Staff using restraint when de-escalation would be effective

Special Considerations

Pupils with SEND and EHCPs

For pupils with special educational needs and disabilities, individual risk assessments must be in place, behaviour support plans should include guidance on physical intervention, staff must be trained on specific needs, medical conditions must be considered, and regular review of whether restraint is preventing learning must be conducted.

Special Schools and Pupil Referral Units

Settings where restrictive interventions are more frequently used must have comprehensive positive handling training for all relevant staff, individual behaviour support plans, multi-agency input, regular review of the use of restraint, restraint reduction programmes, and regular external review and scrutiny.

Comprehensive Checklist for School Leaders

Policy Review (Complete by February 2026)

• Review the current behaviour policy against the new guidance
• Ensure the policy covers restrictive interventions not just reasonable force
• Update the definition of what constitutes reasonable force
• Include clear statements about prohibited practices
• Ensure the policy aligns with KCSIE
• Have the policy reviewed by the DSL
• Present the updated policy to governors for approval
• Publish the updated policy on the school website

Recording System Preparation (Complete by March 2026)

• Audit the current incident recording system
• Identify any gaps in the information currently captured
• Update recording forms to include all mandatory fields
• Ensure the system allows for prompt recording within 24 hours
• Train staff on how to use the updated system
• Test the system to ensure it works effectively

Staff Training Programme (Complete by March 2026)

• Identify all staff who need training
• Assess current training levels and identify gaps
• Arrange training on the new recording and reporting requirements
• Arrange refresher training on positive handling techniques
• Arrange training on prevention and de-escalation
• Schedule the training before 1 April 2026
• Keep records of all training completed

Parental Communication (Complete by March 2026)

• Prepare a letter to parents explaining the new requirements
• Update the school website with information about restrictive interventions
• Ensure all parents are aware of how they will be notified of incidents
• Prepare template letters for incident notification
• Ensure office staff know the procedures for contacting parents

Official Resources

• Current Guidance (until 31 March 2026): Use of reasonable force in schools – Available on GOV.UK
• Consultation Document (February 2025): Use of reasonable force and other restrictive interventions: proposed amendments
• Behaviour in Schools Guidance (2024): Available on GOV.UK
• Keeping Children Safe in Education: Current statutory safeguarding guidance
• Reducing the Need for Restraint and Restrictive Intervention (2019): For children with learning disabilities, autism spectrum conditions and mental health difficulties

Key Points for School Leaders

The transition to the new framework in April 2026 requires careful preparation. Schools should focus on ensuring that their recording systems can capture all required information, that staff are trained on the new requirements, and that parents are informed about the changes.

The shift from discretionary to mandatory recording and reporting represents a significant change. Schools will need to ensure that staff understand the importance of prompt and accurate recording and that systems are in place to support this.

Prevention remains the priority. Schools should continue to focus on positive behaviour management, de-escalation strategies, and creating cultures where restrictive interventions are rarely needed.

Publication Date: 8 March 2026 | Implementation Date: 1 April 2026 | Legal Framework: Education and Inspections Act 2006, Section 93