At School Of Hard Knocks (SOHK), we believe that every young person has the potential to grow - sometimes, they just need the right support system. 

 

In this Q&A, Senior SEL Lead Claire Hawes gives us a powerful look into what that support looks like in action, and why more schools are turning to SOHK to transform student wellbeing and engagement.

What does a typical day look like as a Senior SEL Lead?

A typical day involves working with two groups of students - one in the morning and one in the afternoon – engaging in both indoor and outdoor sessions. Indoors, the focus is on Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) and personal development.

Outdoors, we always round off the day with rugby sessions outside. That mix of structured conversation, emotional work, and physical activity is a powerful combination that makes the learning stick.

Q: What are some of the biggest challenges students are facing today?

Emotional dysregulation and mental health struggles are two of the biggest challenges young people face. Many will struggle with managing their emotions in a healthy way - whether it’s anger, sadness, or frustration. You see it in outbursts, swearing, or storming off.

A lot of our role is providing space for them to process what’s going on. We give them a space to be heard, then help them self-regulate, reflect and take ownership - skills they’ll need long after they leave school.

We’re here to support them, but also to be real. If a student is clearly in the wrong, we’ll call it out - kindly but firmly.  

What do you look forward to in your day in a SOHK school?

When the learning becomes real! It’s amazing to see a student talk about self-control in a morning session, and then actually use that skill on the rugby pitch later that day.

Early in the year, many students define themselves by their anger and hold self-defeating beliefs - they’ll say: “I’ve got anger problems” - but by the end of the term, we’ll hear, “I would have kicked off if that happened earlier in the year, but now I didn’t.”

We pre-empt this growth at SOHK. We know every young person will make progress, even if we don’t know what that success will look like yet. Watching them evolve is what I most look forward to.

Q: How do you help students be more present and engage at school?

In an age of instant everything, the biggest thing is consistency - even if they don’t know it, this is what the pupils need the most.

SOHK ensures the same staff members work with students week after week, building the trust needed for real change. When you’re consistent, they begin to open up. They reflect more honestly. They show up differently - on the pitch, in the classroom, and in life.

Q: Can you share a success story that’s stayed with you?

Two come to mind. One concerns a group of Year 8 boys we worked with. Early in the year, fights and safeguarding concerns were a daily issue. But by term’s end the change was transformational, they had competed in a rugby tournament and despite not winning, showed incredible respect, emotional control, and teamwork. It was such a proud moment. They were unrecognisable from the group we met at the start.

The second is a female student in her second year of the programme. She sadly disclosed some very serious mental health struggles, including suicidal ideation. We had a deep conversation about her feelings and made a plan.

She promised to come back the following week - and she did. Since then, we’ve been using cognitive restructuring techniques and coping strategies- understanding how her thoughts, feelings, and behaviours are connected. It’s intense, but she’s starting to see that link and build tools to break that cycle. Moments like those are everything. That’s when you know the work matters.

Even though we aren’t counsellors or therapists - it shows how much a young person can shift just by having someone listen to them, and help them learn how to recognise and manage what they’re feeling.

Q: What kind of tools do you use in your sessions?

One popular SOHK resource is the Volcano Model. Students learn to recognise what “bubbles up” emotionally and develop their own “raindrops” - calming strategies they can use before things explode. This might look like going home, speaking to a trusted teacher, having some quiet time.

These tools often become part of wider school support plans. If a student is triggered by noise, for example, SOHK might suggest a timeout card or quiet space. Teachers appreciate having context and strategies that work.

When students co-create the plan, it helps them take ownership and build a personal toolkit they’ll use. When they understand themselves, they can manage themselves.

Q: How does the programme fit into the wider school environment?

SOHK doesn’t operate in isolation. Staff work closely with SLTs, Heads of Year, and pastoral teams to make sure we’re aligned. Teachers will bring concerns that aren’t always disciplinary but still need attention and support, things like anxiety, family issues, friendship drama.

That said, we’re neutral, in that we bridge the gap between the young person and the school, and are there as a consistent adult who can pick up on certain things before they become a bigger problem.

As we’re not disciplinarians, students will often tell us things they wouldn’t say to a teacher. But we also don’t let them off the hook. We will challenge them, hold them accountable, and help them find better ways of coping. I think it’s that balance of empathy and expectations that really helps.

In a nutshell, it’s a very collaborative relationship - we’ve got the school’s back, and we’ve got the young person’s back, just from slightly different angles.

Q: What would happen to these students without School Of Hard Knocks in their school?

Without SOHK, I think many students would continue to struggle in silence - particularly the quiet ones. Without a trusted support they might never say what they need, as they just try to ‘get through school’.

We often advocate for students who wouldn’t otherwise speak up. When they see someone is listening - and real change happens - their trust in adults, in school, and in themselves starts to grow. It's these more introverted kids who can often make the biggest leaps!

What makes SOHK different to traditional support in schools?

What sets SOHK apart is the balance between empathy and accountability. We challenge students when they’re wrong. We say, ‘Yes, that was frustrating - but you still have to face the consequence.’ That’s real-world preparation.   

What’s quite inspiring about our programme is that occasionally, SOHK graduates will go on to coach younger students at their school - living proof that the programme works! They show others what growth looks like. It’s incredibly powerful.

Want to bring SOHK to your school?

We’re already working across the England, Wales and Scotland - and we’re ready to help more young people unlock their potential. If your school could benefit from third-party support that sticks, we’d love to hear from you.

👉 Learn more about our schools programme here.