Murrayfield Primary School: Disco threat to unruly pupils

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-suffolk-33149267

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A primary school head teacher has suspended after-school clubs because staff have become "frustrated" by pupils' unruly behaviour.

Jane Taylor, head of Murrayfield Primary in Ipswich, also banned the end-of-term disco after pupils came to school "tired" and in the "wrong frame of mind".

She said some pupils were "irritable with each other and less tolerant".

But if behaviour improves, there will be a disco for well-behaved pupils.

The Nacton Road school, rated "requiring improvement" by Ofsted, still runs an early-morning breakfast club and clubs during the school day.

But Mrs Taylor said she had postponed the clubs for a fortnight, five weeks before the end of term.

A letter on the school website said: "As a staff we are becoming increasingly frustrated at a level of disruptive behaviour a number of pupils, particularly boys, are displaying."

Mrs Taylor added many children were tired and "in the wrong frame of mind to work".

Suspending the clubs meant she hoped pupils could "settle down to sleep at a reasonable bedtime".

Although the letter said there would be no disco at the end of term, Mrs Taylor later confirmed there would be two afternoon discos at the end of term for Key Stage One and Key Stage Two pupils.

She said: "Pupils whose behaviour through the year has been good will be invited."

Of nearly 400 children in the school, "probably only a handful" would not be invited to the disco.

Mrs Taylor said: "We are finding a significant number of children are coming to school feeling tired and I feel that keeping children in school beyond 3.30pm is not helping the situation.

"Hopefully after this two-week suspension of clubs, we will be able to reinstate them again."

A Suffolk County Council spokesman said: "The county council supports the autonomy of head teachers and governors to make decisions designed to ensure children achieve their potential."