When Behaviour Seems To Come Out Of Nowhere: Understanding Stress Stacking

When a pupil explodes over something small, it can look like their behaviour came out of nowhere. But what if that “tiny trigger” wasn’t really the cause - just the final bit of pressure they could no longer cope with? In this episode, you’ll learn how stress stacking affects dysregulated behaviour, why looking for one simple trigger can lead schools down the wrong path, and how to ask better questions after an incident so support is matched to the pupil’s real needs. You’ll also hear a practical case study showing how hidden stressors - from poor sleep and sensory overload to social stress, shame and task demands - can build up beneath the surface long before behaviour becomes visible. Important links: Get our FREE SEND Behaviour Handbook: Download other FREE behaviour resources for use in school: School leaders: Join us at the National SEMH Conference (October 2026) It's a whole day focused on the real SEMH, behaviour and inclusion pressures facing schools - and what leaders can do next. Plus, right now you can get Super Early Bird tickets at £250 - find out more and book your place here.

You can listen to When Behaviour Seems To Come Out Of Nowhere: Understanding Stress Stacking online on Radio and Podcast. Open the player on this page to stream the available audio.

When Behaviour Seems To Come Out Of Nowhere: Understanding Stress Stacking is an episode from School Behaviour Secrets with Simon Currigan and Emma Shackleton by Beacon School Support.

This episode is 25:41 long.

This episode was published on May 3, 2026.

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