Schools across Dartford have geared up to tackle unruly behaviour from pupils.

Dozens of head teachers returned to the classroom last week to learn how to spot early signs of stress and upset among pupils.

Only one of Dartford’s 38 schools was missing from the conference.

It had been organised by the schools’ own self-help group, DASC (the Dartford Area Schools Consortium).

The session was to help teachers spot problems very quickly, and then tackle them.

Among the problems blamed for bad behaviour in school were bullying, sexual abuse, pressures at home, house moves, self-harming and losing friends.

Teachers were told suicide was the second most common cause of death among young men under 30, and that children as young as seven were self-harming.

The day-long teach-in was held at the Brands Hatch Thistle.

Specialists in child behaviour and psychology talked with the group.

They included Dr Alex Hassett, a principal lecturer and senior consultant at Canterbury Christ Church University’s Department of Applied Psychology, and Stephen Bell, chairman of ther Institute of Childhood Trauma and Recovery.