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The ONLY weekly voice for secondary education Issue 219 • July 2 2009 Price £1.00
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Paper special
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As SecEd
was going
Charity’s survey reveals the impact of
to press,
education
minister, Ed
Balls, was
violent pupil behaviour on teachers
set to unveil
the latest
education swearing or backchat, while almost for them to have any real effect,” he a minor way. I’ve been hit, punched, still seem to be ignoring the issue
White Paper.
by Chris Parr
three out of five said that objects told SecEd. and poked by various angry lit- of training staff in safe-search tech-
It is expected to set out plans
had been thrown at them. “Schools must ensure that teach- tle children – luckily not very big niques, which leads to the lack in
for one-to-one tuition, report
Half of teachers have received Elsewhere, one in 10 respondents ers have a clear understanding of children. confidence from staff – and quite
physical threats, while almost as said they had received threats of a the disciplinary options available “However, I’ve never encoun- understandably so.”
cards, ‘chain schools’ (where
many have been subject to violence sexual nature, while more than half to them and be confident in their tered an offensive weapon, but I Mr Stanley told SecEd that
‘good’ schools merge with
or attempted violence. said their school’s behaviour policy use. Crucially, the development would in no way want to search a although the survey results were
those rated less highly), and The shocking findings come was not implemented effectively. and implementation of school poli- pupil,” she added. based on a relatively small sam-
promises more power for heads
from a Teacher Support Network In other findings, the survey cies must involve the whole school Helen Nurton, assistant head at ple, they nonetheless confirmed that
in areas such as budgeting
(TSN) survey, which claims to “lay reveals that 90 per cent of those community in order to effectively Guildford County School in Surrey incidents of violence were still a
and getting parenting orders.
bare” the scale and impact of violent asked would not be confident improve behaviour and discipline – whose husband runs a company problem for schools, and called for
and disruptive behaviour in schools. searching a pupil for an offensive in the school.” that trains school staff in how to better training for teachers.
It also sets out new ‘pupil and
Some of those surveyed describe weapon – something which staff will Rachel Pattisson, a SecEd search students – told SecEd she He added: “The ASCL Bill
parent guarantees’ for school
being assaulted, threatened with have increased power to do under panellist and teacher from was surprised at the figures, saying could serve to confuse matters ini-
provision. For full reaction, see scissors, and spat at, while one proposals in the Apprenticeships, Northumberland, said she had been they seemed “very high”. tially, because our survey shows
www.sec-ed.co.uk describes having their eardrum per- Skills, Children and Learning a victim of “assault”, but added it On the 90 per cent who would that many teachers are uncomfort-
forated. More than half of teachers (ASCL) Bill, currently passing was only in a “minor” way. not be comfortable searching stu- able with the new powers it grants.
Gateway tips
surveyed told the charity that they through parliament. She continued: “Teachers are dents for weapons, she added: “I Also, existing legislation is not fully
have considered quitting because of Julian Stanley, chief executive exposed to a lot of aggressive behav- do think it’s something that schools understood by all staff and some
Getting through the Diploma
pupil behaviour. of the TSN, said that although vio- iour, including sexual harassment, don’t really consider – perhaps until schools are not communicating
Gateway can be trickier than As a result, the TSN has now lence and disruption in schools was and the school’s behaviour policy it is too late – or they presume it’s their existing code of conduct to
it may seem. We hear from
called for better development of well documented, the problems is not always equipped to deal with something easy to do, whereas there staff, so adding more rules could
Neil Fletcher of the Learning
behaviour policies, and says schools were not going away. such issues. I would certainly cite are ways of searching that make it initially be problematic.
Support Network, who offers
must do more to ensure teachers “More needs to be done to safe- aggressive behaviour as one of the much safer for staff. “If there are to be new pow-
fully understand the disciplinary guard both teachers and pupils. In main reasons why I choose to work “As for whether the new ers, then the government should
crucial advice in this area.
options available to them. particular headteachers must ensure less in the classroom these days. (ASCL) Bill will make much dif- think about the amount of money it
See page 6
Nearly all of the 414 teachers that national guidance and legisla- “I can also (say that) yes, I’ve ference, I have my doubts. Since makes available to train school staff
surveyed said they had experienced tion is implemented locally in order been assaulted by pupils, but only in the last changes in the law, schools members to implement them.”
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At the chalkface
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