How to record physical intervention in schools: the April 2026 rules

Until April 2026, how a school recorded physical intervention was largely its own decision. The 2013 DfE advice described recording serious incidents as good practice and left schools to judge what counted as serious. That advice, still listed on the GOV.UK page on use of reasonable force in schools, stopped applying on 31 March 2026. Under the new DfE guidance, Restrictive interventions, including use of reasonable force, in schools, governing bodies and proprietors must have a procedure for recording and reporting each significant incident, and the guidance sets out exactly what the record must contain.

At ProActive Approaches we see recording as more than compliance. Our position since 2016, set out by our founder Simon Gower, is #AimingForZero: a reduction target implies an acceptable number of restraints, and zero removes that permission. You cannot reduce what you do not record accurately. A good record is the first step towards the next incident not happening, because it tells you what led up to this one and what was tried first. The statutory minimum is the floor. Records that genuinely help a school learn go further.

What counts as a significant incident

The duty applies to each significant incident, which the guidance defines as any use of force that goes beyond appropriate physical contact between staff and pupils. That includes physical force used to carry out a non-physical restriction.

Appropriate physical contact is not a significant incident. The guidance gives examples such as first aid, guiding or escorting a pupil, comforting a distressed pupil, congratulating a pupil, and demonstrating techniques in PE or music. Staff need to understand the line clearly, so the policy should give school-specific examples on both sides of it.

Separate duties apply to seclusion and to restraint that does not involve force, such as removing a pupil's walking aid. These come from the Schools (Recording and Reporting of Seclusion and Restraint) (No. 2) (England) Regulations 2025. Where an incident is both restraint and a significant use of force, the school follows the force procedure and does not need to record it twice.

Who records and when

The record should be made by the member or members of staff involved, as soon as practicable, and they should endeavour to complete it no later than the same day. The procedure must require a written record. Recording is required even if the pupil's parents have agreed to restrictive interventions in certain circumstances as part of a behaviour support plan.

Same-day recording is demanding in a busy school. Build time for it into your post-incident routine: once the pupil is safe and supported, the staff involved should be released to write the record before the end of the day, with a colleague covering if needed.

What the record must contain

For a significant incident involving force, the guidance sets the following minimum information:

1. Names of the pupil and the staff directly involved.
2. The pupil's relevant needs or circumstances, including whether they have an identified special educational need or disability, and their SEN status code.
3. Time, date, location and approximate duration of the incident.
4. A brief account of the incident, including what led up to it, identified or potential triggers if known, the prevention or de-escalation strategies used and, where relevant, the type and degree of force and details of any injuries.
5. A brief account of why force was assessed as necessary.
6. The post-incident support provided, such as medical treatment for injuries or other adverse impacts.

For seclusion and restraint without force, the minimum content is similar: names, time, date, location and duration, the pupil's needs and SEN status, why the intervention was necessary, injuries and post-incident support.

Schools may also record more, such as the pupil's own account, witness accounts, when and how parents were informed, and any follow-up. We recommend all three, because they are the information that turns a record into learning.

Writing a record that helps

A record can contain every required field and still be unhelpful. The most common problems are vagueness, judgement and omission. Compare these two accounts of the same moment:

• Weak: "J kicked off in maths and became aggressive so was restrained."
• Strong: "At 10.40, during a change from group work to a written task, J covered both ears and began pacing. Ms R offered the calm corner and the 'what's next' card. J moved towards the classroom door and then ran towards the car park gate. Ms R followed and called J's name. At the gate, with J about to reach the road, Ms R guided J back by both forearms for about 20 seconds until J stopped running. Contact ended as soon as J was walking back towards the building."

The strong version records the trigger, the early signs, what was tried, why force was necessary, the type and duration of force, and when it stopped. It describes behaviour rather than labelling it. It is also the version that will protect both the pupil and the member of staff if the incident is ever questioned.

Recording well is a skill that can be taught. Our one-day Recording Formula course gives staff a seven-step method for writing records that meet these requirements and support learning.

Telling parents

Governing bodies and proprietors must ensure there is a procedure for reporting each significant incident to the pupil's parents as soon as practicable, and schools should endeavour to do so no later than the same day. The guidance says schools should communicate the information in writing, for example by email or an online messaging system.

The minimum content of the report to parents is:

• time, date, location and approximate duration;
• a brief account of why the intervention was assessed as necessary;
• a brief account of the type and degree of force used;
• details of any physical injuries.

There are two exceptions: where the pupil is aged 20 or over, and where the member of staff considers that reporting to a parent would be likely to result in serious harm to the pupil. In the second case, they must report to any parent who can be told without that risk or, if there is none, to the local authority where the pupil normally lives. For these duties, "parent" includes a local authority accommodating the child under section 20 of the Children Act 1989.

A phone call first is often kinder, but it does not replace the written report. The guidance also describes it as best practice to invite parents to a follow-up conversation about triggers, whether the plan was followed, what de-escalation was tried and what might be done differently. Our guide on what to do after restraining a pupil covers that conversation in more detail.

Maintained schools and independent schools

For seclusion and restraint without force, the guidance draws a distinction. Governing bodies of schools maintained by a local authority must have a procedure for giving parents a copy of the written record. Independent schools and non-maintained special schools must have a procedure for giving parents written information about the incident.

Bound books, electronic systems and storage

Many schools were taught that physical intervention must be recorded in a bound book with numbered pages. The new guidance does not require this. The requirement is a written record with the minimum content set out above. An electronic system is fine, and often better, because it makes analysis easier. As good practice, choose a system that logs changes to records, limits access to those who need it, and stores records in line with your data protection and safeguarding retention policies.

Some local authorities and trusts still ask for a bound book. If yours does, follow their requirement, but make sure the book captures every field the guidance now requires.

Turning records into fewer incidents

Governing bodies must take all reasonable steps to make sure these procedures are followed, and should regularly review the data. The purpose is not just oversight. It is to help leaders improve policy and practice, identify training needs, understand repeat patterns and triggers, review behaviour support plans, and spot disproportionate use with pupils who have SEND or share protected characteristics.

A simple termly review can ask: when and where do incidents happen, which pupils are involved most often, what was tried first, and what has changed since last term? The answers should lead to actions, and the next term's data should show whether they worked. Our guide to physical intervention training for schools explains how training can be targeted using these patterns, and ProActive Schools supports the whole-school approach.

Injuries and health and safety reporting

Where a pupil or member of staff is injured, the injury should be recorded in the incident record and under the school's own health and safety procedures. The guidance also says injuries should be reported to the Health and Safety Executive where appropriate, under the RIDDOR reporting rules. Check that your recording system prompts staff to do this, so it is not missed at the end of a difficult day.

Common recording mistakes

• Seclusion and non-contact restraint not recorded because staff do not recognise them as restrictive interventions.
• Records completed days later, from memory.
• SEN status left blank.
• No description of what was tried before force.
• Labels such as "aggressive" or "kicked off" instead of observable behaviour.
• Parents told by phone, with no written report.
• Records never analysed, so patterns are missed.

FAQ

Do we still need a bound book for physical intervention?

No current national guidance requires a bound book. The DfE requires a written record of each significant incident with specified minimum content. Electronic systems are acceptable, and a local authority or trust requirement for a bound book should be followed alongside the national requirements.

How quickly must we record an incident?

As soon as practicable. Staff involved should endeavour to complete the written record no later than the same day.

Do we have to record guiding a pupil by the arm?

Guiding or escorting a pupil is given as an example of appropriate physical contact, which is not a significant incident. If the contact goes beyond that, for example if the pupil is resisting and being moved against their will, it is likely to be significant and must be recorded.

Do we need to tell parents if their child's plan already allows for restraint?

Yes. The guidance is clear that recording and reporting duties apply even if parents agreed to restrictive interventions in a behaviour support plan.

Who should see the records?

The staff who need them to support the pupil, the senior leaders responsible for oversight, the designated safeguarding lead where relevant, and governors in anonymised summary form. Parents should receive the written report required by the guidance.