Call to increase teachers’ powers

Reporter: by Our Lobby Correspondent
Date online: 09 November 2009

TWELVE pupils every week are suspended from schools across Oldham for assaulting a teacher or another student.

In 2007/8 a total of 460 pupils were given a fixed term exclusion for assault, 370 for an attack on a fellow pupil and a further 90 were ordered to stay away for attacking an adult. This compares with 427 the previous year.

Nationally 1,000 pupils are shown the yellow card every week for assault.

Unruly

Shadow schools minister Michael Gove said teachers need more powers to deal with unruly pupils.

He said: “The number of suspensions from school is truly shocking, and there has been a rise in the last few years as teachers are increasingly powerless to permanently exclude seriously disruptive or violent children.

“It’s simply not acceptable that teachers have to put up with bad behaviour when they’re trying to teach. That’s why we want to give them more powers to keep order in the classroom.”

Oldham Council said it was committed to ensuring all children had the best education possible, and with the Building Schools for the Future projects and new academies it would help provide excellent learning environment and facilities.

Councillor Kay Knox, Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Families, said: “For young people to have a decent future they need a good education and they can only get that through regular attendance at school.

“Suspensions are always regrettable but I am confident that this action is taken by our head teachers only when they feel they have no other option. As an authority we have a duty to provide the best possible education for all pupils, and when the behaviour of one impinges upon others we have to act.

“We deploy a range of options including home visits, parent support and contracts, to try to improve behaviour.

“Parents have to take responsibility in these situations and a major part of our approach in Oldham is to offer them as much support as we can to help tackle problems at school. A lot of work often needs to be done with challenging pupils by involving and assisting their family network.

“The safety of pupils and staff is also a priority for Oldham Council and when a physical assault has taken place it clearly must be addressed and appropriate action taken to prevent it recurring.”

Ministers say teachers have the powers to tackle discipline.

A DCSF spokesman said: “Violence towards anyone is completely unacceptable and the Government strongly back heads in excluding pupils. No member of staff should have their authority questioned or feel threatened by a pupil.”

An assault can include pushing and jostling and attacks resulting in injuries were very rare, he added.