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Kathryn

Education White paper

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I'm very concerned on the reference to 'when teachers can use force'. I feel very strongly that this will be abused and children will be restrained inappropriately as a matter of course. This happened to my son in a 'nurturing' primary on many occasions and it did an enormous amount of harm.

 

I am very relieved that my son is no longer in the education system.

 

Karen

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There is nothing at all about special needs provisions, or specialist schools revision or Home Education

 

I also think there is in many of the issues concerns especially for parents of sen children.

 

JsMum

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I'm very concerned on the reference to 'when teachers can use force'. I feel very strongly that this will be abused and children will be restrained inappropriately as a matter of course. This happened to my son in a 'nurturing' primary on many occasions and it did an enormous amount of harm.

 

I am very relieved that my son is no longer in the education system.

 

Karen

x

I haven't read the full white paper yet, but I'm a PGCE student and we have covered appropriate physical restraint in lectures. There is a big emphasis on the minimum force necessary, but it does appear to be open to interpretation. However is is reassuring to know that it is an option for example to physically separate fighting students etc (which I probably wouldn't do personally as it would be putting me in danger).

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Most of it seems very sensible to me...

While I appreciate that 'when to use force' is open to misinterpretation I think on the whole it's a very important issue and clearer guidelines can only help. Taken in context - rather than as an 'SEN' issue - violent behaviour towards teachers, bullying of other pupils, antisocial or disruptive behaviour the need to 'stop and search' etc are major problems in many schools that do need to be directly addressed. Even as an SEN issue there are going to be thousands of children (and their parents) who use a dx as a justification or excuse for enacting such behaviours, and this too needs to be responded too. Finally, there will be, in relative terms, a small number of children with genuine needs, but even here the need remains for effective support - which will include sometimes the 'need to use force' - and effective guidelines to identify/administer that support. At the moment there seems to be a huge imbalance between identifying individual need and the wider needs of the rest of the pupils. How that effects individuals seems to be largely, for good or bad, down to the school - and any moves that help to level that playing field (excuse the pun) have got to be good in theory(?)

 

I'm not overly concerned that this paper doesn't seem to address SEN issues directly, because it's a white paper about general plans for the education system. Obviously there will be wider concerns about how 'general' and 'special' come together, but they would be more appropriately addressed in a white paper about SEN provision, covering appropriate practice in both mainstream and specialist placements.

 

Educational reform is always going to be a hot potato, but certainly the education system does need an overhaul of some sort and that old addage of 'not being able to please everyone' is going to be tested to destruction. My biggest concerns have less to do with what is being said than what isn't, because in the current political climate it tends to be the weakest/poorest who are getting the thin end of the wedge. I don't know whether that will include the disabled at this point, because reform of SEN education isn't part of this white paper, but certainly there are 'underclasses' who are more vulnerable from the measures being discussed than the disabled, and less people/organisations lobbying on their behalf.

 

L&P

 

BD

Edited by baddad

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With regard to the use of the word 'force'...

 

I would be interested to see if this actual word is used in the white paper itself...this link is to a newspaper article summarising the main points of the white paper.

 

I would be surprised if the white paper uses the word 'force'. There is a great deal of difference between 'force' and the use of positive handling techniques by trained professionals which are only used to keep the pupil or others safe, not as a punishment.

 

This may be emotive journalism. Apologies if i'm wrong and the white paper does use the word 'force'.

 

Bid :)

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There is nothing at all about special needs provisions, or specialist schools revision or Home Education

 

I also think there is in many of the issues concerns especially for parents of sen children.

 

JsMum

I am only on p26 of 95 so far but I have found the following:

 

'2.35 As part of that review we will look at the standards for Qualified Teacher Status

(QTS), which define what teachers must know and be able to do in order to qualify

to teach. There are currently 33 QTS standards, only one of which focuses solely

on teaching and learning. We will ensure that the new standards have a stronger

focus on key elements of teaching, including: the best approaches to the teaching

of early reading and early mathematics, how best to manage poor behaviour, and

how to support children with additional needs, including Special Educational

Needs.'

 

I will update if I find anything else specifically mentioning SEN.

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'Good schools play a vital role as promoters of health and

wellbeing in the local community and have always had good pastoral systems.

They understand well the connections between pupils’ physical and mental

health, their safety, and their educational achievement. They create an ethos

focused on achievement for all, where additional support is offered early to those

who need it, and where the right connections are made to health, social care and

other professionals who can help pupils overcome whatever barriers to learning

are in their way.'

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With regard to the use of the word 'force'...

 

I would be interested to see if this actual word is used in the white paper itself...this link is to a newspaper article summarising the main points of the white paper.

 

I would be surprised if the white paper uses the word 'force'. There is a great deal of difference between 'force' and the use of positive handling techniques by trained professionals which are only used to keep the pupil or others safe, not as a punishment.

 

This may be emotive journalism. Apologies if i'm wrong and the white paper does use the word 'force'.

 

Bid :)

 

'3.9 Teachers have been given powers to use force or physical restraint where

necessary. They should feel able to remove disruptive children from the

classroom, or indeed prevent them from leaving a room where that is necessary to

maintain order. But many teachers fear the rules are not strong enough to support

them. And in almost half of schools surveyed in 2006, over-cautious no-touch

policies have been put in place. To ensure teachers feel confident in the exercise

of their powers, we will strengthen the rules. We will issue a short, clear, robust

guide on teachers powers to use reasonable force and we will give schools

greater discretion to decide on the most appropriate approach to monitoring the

exercise of these powers.'

Edited by RainbowsButterflies

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'3.19 Teachers, pupils and charities report that prejudice-based bullying in particular is

on the increase. It is of course unacceptable for young people to be bullied

because of their sexuality, yet this happens to two thirds of lesbian, gay and

bisexual pupils. Ninety-eight per cent of young gay pupils hear the word gay

used as a form of abuse at school, and homophobic bullying is often directed at

heterosexual pupils as well. Pupils with Special Educational Needs and

disabilities are also more likely to be victims of bullying. Over a three-year period,

81 per cent of pupils with statements of SEN reported being bullied, and

bullying specifically relating to their special needs is increasing.'

 

'If parents have concerns about behaviour, and feel that the school has not dealt

with them properly, they can ask Ofsted to carry out an inspection.'

 

'Ofsted will

also undertake a survey of effective and ineffective practices which address

bullying.'

Edited by RainbowsButterflies

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'3.9 Teachers have been given powers to use force or physical restraint where

necessary. They should feel able to remove disruptive children from the

classroom, or indeed prevent them from leaving a room where that is necessary to

maintain order. But many teachers fear the rules are not strong enough to support

them. And in almost half of schools surveyed in 2006, over-cautious ‘no-touch’

policies have been put in place. To ensure teachers feel confident in the exercise

of their powers, we will strengthen the rules. We will issue a short, clear, robust

guide on teachers’ powers to use reasonable force and we will give schools

greater discretion to decide on the most appropriate approach to monitoring the

exercise of these powers.'

 

I stand corrected...thanks Rainbows :)

 

Bid :)

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'3.9 Teachers have been given powers to use force or physical restraint where

necessary. They should feel able to remove disruptive children from the

classroom, or indeed prevent them from leaving a room where that is necessary to

maintain order. '

What worries me here is this word 'disruptive'. I totally support schools having more power to manage pupils who are wilfully causing disruption in class to the detriment of other students' learning. No problem with that at all.

 

But what about a child who becomes agitated and unable to cope because their basic SN needs have not been met, and by that I include support in learning how to manage their emotions in difficult situations?

 

This happened to my son so many times in his last few weeks in schools. His anxieties, sensory difficulties, emotional deficits, disorganisation and stress were not supported in any way and he was left to manage completely on his own. When it all got too much for him and he lost control he was restrained as a default measure (and by that I mean physically grabbed and not using recommended techniques) and carried off in hysterics. Did it help? Well, it got him out of the room but so the teacher could continue her lesson but it left him very badly damaged. Is that acceptable? I think not.

 

He wasn't the only one this has happened to. I know of many other children who have had simlar treatment from schools which failed to give adequate proactive support and teachers who didn't know the difference between badly behaved kids and those who simply reached the end of their coping limits because they needed a bit of help and it wasn't given.

 

I know that a child losing self-control IS disruptive, and it does need to be dealt with. But I worry that liberties will be taken in classrooms because staff now feel they have a right to restrain any child who is causing them problems and they will be supported by their seniors if they do under any circumstances.

 

Karen

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'Restore for all Academies the freedoms they originally had, while continuing to

ensure a level playing field on admissions, particularly in relation to children

with Special Educational Needs.'

 

'The complexity of funding issues in particular has meant that we have had to

move more slowly with special schools. But in January 2011 we will invite special

schools to apply to become Academies as well. We believe that this will be a major

opportunity to transform provision for special needs, and the forthcoming Green

Paper on Special Educational Needs and Disability will consider how to maximise

the impact of these new freedoms for special schools.'

 

'5.35 All state schools including Academies and Free Schools are bound by the

Admissions Code and participate in fair access protocols. We will simplify the

Code so that it is easier for schools and parents to understand and act upon, while

maintaining fairness as the Code’s guiding principle. We will retain the principles

and priorities of the current Code, and Looked After Children and pupils with a

statement of Special Education Needs which names a particular school (including

Academies and Free Schools) will continue to be guaranteed a place at the school

of their first choice. In order to promote fair access to high-performing schools, we

will also consult on whether we should allow Academies and Free Schools to

choose to prioritise children from disadvantaged backgrounds in their

oversubscription criteria if they wish. We will consult on a simplified and less

prescriptive Admissions Code early in the New Year so that a revised Code is in

place by July 2011.'

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There is nothing at all about special needs provisions, or specialist schools revision or Home Education

 

I also think there is in many of the issues concerns especially for parents of sen children.

 

JsMum

 

 

The Green Paper on SEN is due out next month. That's probably why there's no mention.

 

cb

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'Good schools play a vital role as promoters of health and

wellbeing in the local community and have always had good pastoral systems.

They understand well the connections between pupils’ physical and mental

health, their safety, and their educational achievement. They create an ethos

focused on achievement for all, where additional support is offered early to those

who need it, and where the right connections are made to health, social care and

other professionals who can help pupils overcome whatever barriers to learning

are in their way.'

 

It is interesting that these things are mentioned at a time when Sure Start projects are threatened,LAs are cutting back on funding for Social Care and in my area pupils who could previously access ASD outreach with delegated funding are now waiting for a Statement . :rolleyes:

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•Trial a new approach to exclusions where schools have new responsibilities for the ongoing education and care of excluded children.

 

Excellent idea I think.It is currently too easy for exclusion to be one way to pass pupils who are excluded to someone else without having to take any responsibility for where they go or what happens to them.

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Excellent idea I think.It is currently too easy for exclusion to be one way to pass pupils who are excluded to someone else without having to take any responsibility for where they go or what happens to them.

They are also talking about excluded children's results going on league tables (presumably unless they have been taken by another school) so there is no incentive to exclude to massage results (cynical - me?)

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I think making schools take responsibility for excluded pupils is an excellent idea. There are too many schools just blatantly disregarding the rules - putting pressure on parents to remove their children under threat of exclusion, sending year 11's on "extended study leave" and doing whatever they can to get the child out. This just shoves the problem somewhere else and so many children with and without SEN just slip through the net.

 

Regarding force - there is already a wealth of guidance out there for schools on using reasonable force, they can already do that if they need to. I'm not sure what needs to be added.

 

K x

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