Implementing a Whole-School Restorative Approach

This course is for those working in or with schools that:

• want to put relationships at the heart of the teaching and learning process.
• recognise that strong caring relationships impact on the health and wellbeing of students and educators alike
• seek to create safer, happier learning environments
• are committed to high quality education that focuses on the needs of the whole child
• social, emotional, mental and physical as well as academic.
• value the teaching staff and acknowledge that if their needs are met then they can do the best for the students
• understand the role of the senior leadership team in modelling best practice
• appreciate the role of parents and carers as partners in their child’s education

It is strongly recommended that those attending the course have the status and the authority in the school to effect change, not only in their own classroom or in their role but across the whole school. To that end school managers, principals and senior advisors at local or national level are the most appropriate attendees.

It is also recommended that at least 2 colleagues from the same school or agency attend to support each other in the implementation.

Participants who complete the course will get a certificate of attendance. 

EFREJ members get a discount of the fee. The discount is automatically applied to individual members (after logging in). If you are an organisational member of the EFRJ, or as an individual member and do not get the discount automatically: please contact Bálint Juhász to get your discount code. 

Is the participation fee a barrier for you to participate? We can offer a limited number of partial or full waivers of the fee. If you would like apply for that please contact Bálint Juhász and explain your situation in an email in an email until the latest 10 September 2022.

Cancellation policy: if you cancel your participation before 12 September you get 70% refund of your subscription fee. After this date, reimbursement is no longer possible.

The course will take place virtually via Zoom.  The training will take place on Zoom. You can download the desktop Zoom application from here to have the best experience (and access all the features of the programme). If you already have Zoom it is recommended to install the latest updates. This improves security and also gives you access to functions that are enabled via the updates.  Minimum recommended bandwidth is 1.5Mbps/1.5Mbps (up and downloading speed). You can check your internet speed here for example. You can read more about system requirements for using Zoom here.

You will also need to have a video camera, microphone built in or connected to your laptop and a stable internet connection to be able to fully participate in the event. We request that you have your camera on during the training in most of the times. 

We ask people to apply for this course only if they can commit to the whole course please. Check the dates carefully. Please make the necessary changes to your diary if need be, so that you can prioritise attendance on the the course, from the beginning to the end of each day. It is difficult for everyone if some attendees miss certain Modules or sessions within a Module . Each Module builds on the previous one and so missing a session will impact on the learner and disturb the growing sense of safety and trust we will be building in our learning community.

The language of the course will be English. 

Module 1
- What is restorative justice and how has it evolved?
- What is restorative practice and how is it different from restorative justice?
- How has restorative practice developed in educational settings – successes and challenges
- Key ideas and underpinning theories (including trauma-informed practice, equity and diversity issues)
- 5 Core Beliefs
- Experience of Circle process
- Designing pro-active circles

Module 2
Skills development - Restorative Enquiry – a 5-step listening framework based on 5 core beliefs

a) As a supervision and peer-support tool
b) As the individual preparation for face-to-face meetings

Module 3
Skills development – Small restorative meetings – a 5-step framework based on the 5 core beliefs

a) for interpersonal conflicts
b) for repairing intentional harm caused by one person to another

Module 4
Skills development – medium and large restorative meetings (involving family members/staff)

Module 5
Skills development – co-facilitation of larger meetings; problem-solving circles and interpersonal conflict resolution

- Implementation and sustainability – how best to achieve this
- Short- and longer-term planning – what next?

The sessions will be participative and experiential. Learning methods will include:

• Full group sessions - these will include short presentations, and they will allow extended time for interactive activities, including the practice of the circle process.
• Small group work  - Participants will get many opportunity to explore the subject and practice in pairs and smaller groups and get feedback on their work from the trainer.
• Individual work - Participants will be invited to engage in private reflection and commit to several hours of private study in between each on-line session.
• Course booklet, a series of mini booklets, course handouts - Participants will receive their copies of a number of useful learning resources.

Dr Belinda Hopkins pioneered the use of restorative approaches in schools across the UK during the early 2000’s. She is the founding director of Transforming Conflict, the National Centre for Restorative Approaches in Youth and Community Settings. Transforming Conflict has now established itself as one of the foremost providers of training and consultancy in the field of restorative approaches across Europe. Her book ‘Just Schools’(JKP 2004) has inspired many people internationally as have her other books and publications since then.
She continues to run training courses herself, writes books and articles, develops training materials and resources, and speaks at conferences nationally and internationally. She is proud to be the current Chair of the EFRJ Restorative Schools Working Group and is an active member of the Training Committee and facilitates the Trainers’ Network meetings.
Because of her concerns around climate change Belinda avoids flying when possible and so no longer works beyond Europe. She has enjoyed long and epic journeys by train (and ferry) to places like Poland, Estonia, Slovenia and Ukraine. She values her links with colleagues across Europe highly and has established a network to support those people she has trained as trainers so they can continue to support each other and innovate.

“The online training on Restorative Practices in schools was very informative, practical and interactive, allowing the participants to have a hands-on experience of using Belinda's tools for restorative conversations. Belinda has a way of presenting the profoundly meaningful philosophy of Restorative Practice in a clear, engaging and flexible way, tailored to the needs of the participants and offering professional and heartfelt support and guidance to easily transfer the skills learned in the training to the school environment. It was a meaningful, memorable and fun experience!”

Ieva Severinaitė  Lithuania – Restorative Practice in Schools Erasmus+ project

“I can warmly recommend Belinda's course in relation to the work with Restorative practice and implementation in the school area. The course embraces the essence of how to work with the well-being of children and young people in general and Belinda's many years of experience shines through when it comes to what it takes of each of us to practice the Restorative approach.”

Coach and Conflict Mediator Rene D. C. Juhler