The Culture Shift That Keeps Students Safer

International schools today face growing pressure to strengthen safeguarding, but too often this gets reduced to paperwork, checklists, and compliance. Forms and protocols are important, but they are not what children experience day to day. For students, safety is felt in relationships— whether they believe adults will listen, whether peers include them, and whether harm can be repaired rather than ignored or punished away. Restorative practices offer schools a way to bridge the gap between policy and lived experience.

When people hear the phrase restorative justice, many think of courtrooms or legal systems that deal with harm after it happens. In schools, a more helpful term is restorative practices. This language reflects the daily, relational habits that prevent harm from escalating and provide constructive ways to repair it when it does. Restorative justice is the philosophy; restorative practices are the tools that bring it to life in classrooms and corridors. They are not a program or a script, but a culture shift that helps students feel safer because their voices matter and relationships are valued.

This shift makes safeguarding more effective. Safeguarding frameworks rest on the principle that children must be heard. Restorative practices make that principle real by embedding regular opportunities for students to share how they are doing, to speak honestly, and to know they will be taken seriously. When these rhythms are part of everyday school life, students are far more likely to disclose concerns when something serious happens. Safety is not only about reacting to incidents; it is about creating an environment where disclosure feels possible in the first place.

The United Nations has reinforced this link. In a 2013 report on restorative justice for children, it emphasized that restorative practices are rooted in the rights of the child: the right to liberty, education, play, and protection from violence. Too often, these rights are compromised when schools rely on exclusionary responses such as suspension or expulsion. International standards remind us that those measures should only be used as a last resort. Restorative practices keep accountability high while avoiding unnecessary exclusion, reducing risk rather than compounding it.

One of the most powerful safeguards restorative practices provide is a sense of belonging. In international schools, where students frequently move across borders, cultures, and languages, belonging cannot be taken for granted. Research shows that strong adult-student relationships are protective factors, particularly for Third Culture Kids, reducing behavioral risks and strengthening resilience. When students feel connected, they are less likely to disengage or act out, and more likely to seek help when they need it.

Practical strategies help make belonging real. A short check-in round at the start of class gives every student a voice and signals that each one matters. A closing reflection at the end of the day provides a moment of calm and connection. Restorative language, simple statements like “When this happens, I feel… because… and I need…,” helps staff and students express impact without blame, turning potential conflicts into learning opportunities. When harm does occur, restorative conversations and reintegration meetings keep students in relationship with their community, guiding them toward accountability while avoiding the isolation that exclusion can create.

Circles are perhaps the most visible expression of restorative practice. Rooted in Indigenous traditions and adapted for schools worldwide, circle processes create structured, inclusive spaces where every voice is heard. The talking piece, passed one person at a time, symbolizes respect and equity. Circles can be light and regular, quick prompts that check in with a class, or more focused, addressing conflict, supporting healing, or welcoming a student back after an absence. They counteract the hierarchies that can silence some voices and instead affirm that everyone has something valuable to contribute. Over time, the rhythm of sitting together in a circle builds trust and safety, qualities that lie at the heart of safeguarding.

None of this works without adults leading the way. Restorative practices are not simply activities for students, they are values that must be modelled consistently. How staff talk about pupils in meetings, how leaders respond to stress, and how teachers manage classroom conflict all set the tone. As Margaret Thorsborne reminds us, change must begin with the adults. In international schools, where multiple cultures, languages, and expectations intersect, restorative principles — dignity, consent, fairness —provide a shared compass that everyone can navigate by.

It is important to be clear about what restorative practices are not. They do not replace statutory child protection procedures. Allegations must always go through the appropriate legal and safeguarding channels. Restorative practice is not about coerced apologies, nor about forcing students into uncomfortable encounters. Participation must always be voluntary and supported. It is not a quick fix or a one-size-fits-all method— timing, readiness, and context all matter. Done poorly, it risks harm; done well, it strengthens trust and safety.

To make sure practice is safe, a few guardrails are essential. Consent must be genuine. No student should feel pressured to participate. Facilitation should be trauma-aware: small groups, opportunities for breaks, and attention to needs rather than blame. Power dynamics —cultural, linguistic, or status-related —must be managed so that quieter voices can truly be heard. Documentation should be minimal and focused on agreements, protecting privacy. These safeguards keep restorative practice aligned with its purpose: to protect, include, and repair.

For schools considering where to start, the advice is simple: begin small. A regular check-in with an advisory group, a weekly circle with low stake prompts, or staff practicing the use of restorative language are all repeatable habits that shift culture over time. Leaders can reinforce the change by explicitly naming restorative practices as part of safeguarding, not just behavior management, and by creating time and space for staff to practice together. Even keeping a shared log of “repair wins” — moments where harm was addressed constructively — helps staff see the difference these practices make at the end of a school year.

The impact is tangible. When students expect to be listened to (and learn to listen to others) schools see earlier disclosures, calmer classrooms, and fewer escalations. When adults model repair, relationships recover faster. Safeguarding becomes more than a compliance exercise; it becomes part of the school’s DNA, built into the way people talk, decide, and restore trust. Safety is no longer something delivered to students from above but something created together through everyday interactions.

If safeguarding in your school feels heavy on forms and light on connection, restorative practices may be the missing layer. Start small, keep the guardrails in place, and hold dignity and voice at the center. The result is a culture where fewer crises occur, more harm is repaired, and students experience what safeguarding is meant to ensure: that they are safe, valued, and able to thrive.