This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Teachers and pupils view of school discipline
04/10/2004
A comprehensive package designed to give an enhanced
picture of pupil behaviour in schools has been
unveiled.
The measures - developed after independent advice and
discussions with headteachers, teacher unions and other
stakeholders - are designed to give policy makers and
managers richer data on which to base policy and as an
improvement on the annual statistics on violence and
antisocial behaviour against staff.
They include:
- Publishing new survey and international findings on
teacher and pupil perceptions of discipline
- A new regular survey of teachers' and pupils'
experiences of school behaviour and discipline starting
next year
- Better research into the effectiveness of measures
to promote good behaviour
- Detailed discipline reports, on the same cycle as
the survey, to provide a robust and full picture of
behaviour in Scottish schools
- Clear guidance to local authorities on their
responsibility to keep full records of incidents
involving violence against their staff as part of their
management duty and in ensuring the health and safety
of staff.
Education Minister Peter Peacock announced the move
during a visit to Airdrie Academy where he heard about
approaches currently being used to tackle indiscipline
throughout Scotland.
He said:
"Tackling discipline and behaviour in Scotland's schools
is a key priority for me. I need a comprehensive picture of
what is actually happening in our classrooms.
"That is why I commissioned a review of how we collect
information and, as a result, I am putting in place a
package of measures which will get behind the headlines and
provide better insights into what the issues are that we
need to do more to tackle
"Today I am publishing results from recent independent
and comprehensive survey work with teachers, headteachers
and pupils which illuminate very fully what they experience
in their schools and also what they find most difficult to
contend with.
"It is clear we are living through times where societal
change is presenting additional challenges to our school
system. We know from a range of other studies that
behaviours among some young people are changing
significantly and schools are in no way immune from
that.
"I know there are still many challenges we need to
confront and I am working with teacher representatives,
headteachers, local authorities, Directors of Education and
the General Teaching Council to advance our ability to
support schools as they tackle discipline problems. We also
need to engage parents in the process.
"Today's report shows that the vast majority of the
incidents teachers have to deal with in the classroom are
low-level indiscipline - things like talking out of turn,
children leaving their seats or eating in class.
"Serious violent incidents are, thankfully, still
comparatively rare - but need to be tackled decisively
whenever they arise. That is why I am re-iterating today
that headteachers have the authority to exclude pupils
whenever they feel that serious sanction must be used and
that is why I removed any pressure on them to keep pupils
in schools in order to meet previous exclusion targets.
"Teachers have the right to work free from disruption
and indiscipline must not be allowed to hamper pupils'
learning. With the kind of information now available, we
will be able to measure the effect our policies and
initiatives are making in schools."
The Minister revealed that he had been involved in close
dialogue with headteachers, the teaching unions, CoSLA and
the General Teaching Council for Scotland as part of a
series of ongoing discussions to get all stakeholders
working together to bring about improvement in behaviour
policies.
He said:
"Today's visit to North Lanarkshire is just part of the
process of key stakeholders collectively examining
approaches to improving discipline, identifying gaps in
existing policy and developing new initiatives.
"I have made it clear to stakeholders this matter will
continue to get my full attention and that I am willing to
back any practice we believe will add to what we are
already doing in Scottish schools.
"Together, we can ensure that teachers are properly
supported and well-prepared for the challenges of the
modern classroom."
Professor Pamela Munn and Jim Martin acted as
independent advisers to the Minister in a review of the
data needed to better inform policy.
Professor Munn, Edinburgh University's Dean of
Education, was also commissioned to carry out research into
teachers' views on disruptive behaviour.
The new survey will be conducted every three years and
will cover a wide range of behaviour and discipline issues,
looking at the nature and prevalence of indiscipline,
exploring reasons for changes and examining what is
effective in preventing and responding to indiscipline.
Teacher unions and other stakeholders will be involved
in the design and development of the survey. The first new
survey - following on from the work of Professor Munn -
will start in 2005.