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Behaviour experts to help schools | Behaviour experts to help schools |
(28 minutes later) | |
Teams of behaviour experts will be sent into schools in England where behaviour is rated as merely "satisfactory", Schools' Secretary Ed Balls has said. | Teams of behaviour experts will be sent into schools in England where behaviour is rated as merely "satisfactory", Schools' Secretary Ed Balls has said. |
Government adviser Sir Alan Steer has said in a key report on discipline that "satisfactory isn't good enough". | Government adviser Sir Alan Steer has said in a key report on discipline that "satisfactory isn't good enough". |
Figures obtained by the Tories suggest the number of children repeatedly suspended for a fixed period is rising. | Figures obtained by the Tories suggest the number of children repeatedly suspended for a fixed period is rising. |
But Mr Balls says the government supports head teachers where they need to permanently exclude pupils. | But Mr Balls says the government supports head teachers where they need to permanently exclude pupils. |
Sir Alan's report said there was much evidence that behaviour in schools was good and improving. | Sir Alan's report said there was much evidence that behaviour in schools was good and improving. |
At the annual conference of the Nasuwt teaching union, some teachers questioned this view. | At the annual conference of the Nasuwt teaching union, some teachers questioned this view. |
'Queuing up' | 'Queuing up' |
Where Ofsted rates a school's behaviour as "satisfactory", local authorities should see this as a trigger for additional support, Sir Alan's report said. | Where Ofsted rates a school's behaviour as "satisfactory", local authorities should see this as a trigger for additional support, Sir Alan's report said. |
He said no new legal powers to discipline pupils were needed, but that awareness of them needed to be raised. | He said no new legal powers to discipline pupils were needed, but that awareness of them needed to be raised. |
And his report recommends many ways to liven up lessons to hold pupils' attention, including borrowing techniques from game shows such as Who wants to be a millionaire? and Blockbusters. | |
Or teachers could ask pupils to speak on a topic without hesitation or repetition, in the manner of Radio 4's Just a Minute. | Or teachers could ask pupils to speak on a topic without hesitation or repetition, in the manner of Radio 4's Just a Minute. |
Top tips for lively lessons Choose a purposeful start to lessons such as 'word bingo' or word associationAsk pupils to agree on what they learned last lessonWho wants to be a millionaire? questions in pairs to see who becomes richestQuestion pupils in stages of difficulty to increase knowledgeUse the 'no hands up' rule to encourage all pupils to think'Snowballing' - ask another pupil to respond to the previous answerUse self or peer-assessmentAsk pupils to use traffic light colours to show level of understandingGive pupils a 'big question' to be answered at the end of the lesson Source: Learning Behaviour: Lessons Learned, Sir Alan Steer | |
Sir Alan's recommends the use of "withdrawal rooms", or other alternative provision, to remove a disruptive child from a class until behaviour improves. | Sir Alan's recommends the use of "withdrawal rooms", or other alternative provision, to remove a disruptive child from a class until behaviour improves. |
But some teachers have warned these can be abused. | But some teachers have warned these can be abused. |
Teachers at the Nasuwt conference said some pupils wanted to be sent out of lessons. | Teachers at the Nasuwt conference said some pupils wanted to be sent out of lessons. |
Jules Donaldson, a teacher from Sandwell, said: "They're supping their cups of tea and toast. At some schools they're queuing up to get into the withdrawal rooms." | Jules Donaldson, a teacher from Sandwell, said: "They're supping their cups of tea and toast. At some schools they're queuing up to get into the withdrawal rooms." |
Just under 30% of schools have a behaviour rating of satisfactory. | Just under 30% of schools have a behaviour rating of satisfactory. |
"If a school is rated satisfactory, and you look at the detail - I don't find it very satisfactory, to be honest," Ed Balls told Radio 4's Today programme. | "If a school is rated satisfactory, and you look at the detail - I don't find it very satisfactory, to be honest," Ed Balls told Radio 4's Today programme. |
"Sir Alan Steer is saying they should expect independent experts from the outside to go in to help the school to improve. | "Sir Alan Steer is saying they should expect independent experts from the outside to go in to help the school to improve. |
"I want all schools to learn from best practice when using techniques such as withdrawal rooms," he said. | "I want all schools to learn from best practice when using techniques such as withdrawal rooms," he said. |
"I intend to ensure all schools have the information and support they need to effectively use strategies such as withdrawal rooms for internal exclusion." | "I intend to ensure all schools have the information and support they need to effectively use strategies such as withdrawal rooms for internal exclusion." |
'Better to expel' | 'Better to expel' |
The Conservatives claim the government has made it more difficult for schools to permanently exclude children from school, but Mr Balls denied this. | The Conservatives claim the government has made it more difficult for schools to permanently exclude children from school, but Mr Balls denied this. |
The number of children excluded more than 10 times in a single year went up from 310 in 2004 to 837 in 2007, the figures show. | The number of children excluded more than 10 times in a single year went up from 310 in 2004 to 837 in 2007, the figures show. |
Sir Alan's report questions the value of repeatedly excluding a child, and Mr Balls said where a child was being excluded eight or 10 times "it isn't working, and it would be much better to expel". | Sir Alan's report questions the value of repeatedly excluding a child, and Mr Balls said where a child was being excluded eight or 10 times "it isn't working, and it would be much better to expel". |
Where weak leadership was not tackling discipline, it would be challenged, Mr Balls added. | Where weak leadership was not tackling discipline, it would be challenged, Mr Balls added. |
Permanent exclusions, sometimes referred to as expulsions, have been falling over recent years, and 8,680 pupils were excluded in this way in 2006-07. | Permanent exclusions, sometimes referred to as expulsions, have been falling over recent years, and 8,680 pupils were excluded in this way in 2006-07. |
If a child has been seriously disruptive or violent, they should be properly removed Nick Gibb, shadow schools minister | If a child has been seriously disruptive or violent, they should be properly removed Nick Gibb, shadow schools minister |
But fixed-term exclusions, commonly known as suspensions, are rising. | But fixed-term exclusions, commonly known as suspensions, are rising. |
There were 425,600 fixed-term exclusions of pupils of all ages in 2006-07. | There were 425,600 fixed-term exclusions of pupils of all ages in 2006-07. |
The majority of exclusions are given to secondary school pupils - and these rose from 288,040 in the school year 2003-04 to 363,270 by the end of 2007. | The majority of exclusions are given to secondary school pupils - and these rose from 288,040 in the school year 2003-04 to 363,270 by the end of 2007. |
Shadow schools minister Nick Gibb said: "Suspending a child from school over and over again does them no good at all. | Shadow schools minister Nick Gibb said: "Suspending a child from school over and over again does them no good at all. |
If a child has been seriously disruptive or violent, they should be properly removed so they can get the specialist help they need to return to mainstream education." | If a child has been seriously disruptive or violent, they should be properly removed so they can get the specialist help they need to return to mainstream education." |
Mr Balls said one or two short suspensions could help a child get back on track but accepted that a child who is repeatedly suspended should be expelled. | Mr Balls said one or two short suspensions could help a child get back on track but accepted that a child who is repeatedly suspended should be expelled. |
Sir Alan said schools must ensure parenting contracts are used where necessary. | Sir Alan said schools must ensure parenting contracts are used where necessary. |
And he also called on the Training and Development Agency for schools to review how initial teacher training equips new teachers to deal with challenging behaviour. | And he also called on the Training and Development Agency for schools to review how initial teacher training equips new teachers to deal with challenging behaviour. |
Mr Balls said he had produced a leaflet together with the Nasuwt union to set out the powers available to teachers to discipline. | Mr Balls said he had produced a leaflet together with the Nasuwt union to set out the powers available to teachers to discipline. |
'Work together' | 'Work together' |
Sir Alan said that school provision out of the classroom should be used as part of a planned early intervention strategy and, if possible, before incidents of serious misbehaviour occur. | Sir Alan said that school provision out of the classroom should be used as part of a planned early intervention strategy and, if possible, before incidents of serious misbehaviour occur. |
If a child is permanently excluded from school, there can be an appeal to an independent panel to try to be reinstated. | If a child is permanently excluded from school, there can be an appeal to an independent panel to try to be reinstated. |
The Conservatives say they would abolish these panels, but the Steer report says they are necessary to avoid schools having to justify decisions in the courts. | The Conservatives say they would abolish these panels, but the Steer report says they are necessary to avoid schools having to justify decisions in the courts. |
They also say that potential fines for permanently excluding badly-behaved pupils mean schools are choosing to repeatedly exclude for a fixed period instead. | They also say that potential fines for permanently excluding badly-behaved pupils mean schools are choosing to repeatedly exclude for a fixed period instead. |
Mr Balls said discipline in schools had improved in the last few years but where there were problems, teachers should be tougher and have the support of governors and parents. | Mr Balls said discipline in schools had improved in the last few years but where there were problems, teachers should be tougher and have the support of governors and parents. |
"If you expel the pupil and then they are out on the streets or in the parks, it's a different kind of problem for society and that's not good enough," he said. | "If you expel the pupil and then they are out on the streets or in the parks, it's a different kind of problem for society and that's not good enough," he said. |
"These kids should be in education and so we are also saying schools should work together even if a pupil is excluded." | "These kids should be in education and so we are also saying schools should work together even if a pupil is excluded." |