It seems that children’s behaviour in schools is making headlines across Wales at the moment - in some cases, understandably so.
There is no doubt that this is a huge challenge for schools post-Covid. It has led to industrial action and a public outcry from parents when have they read that pupils are perceived to be “rewarded” for disruptive and, sometimes, violent behaviour.
But is all really as it seems? Of course not, and here’s why.
The root causes of disruptive behaviour
Schools have always had to deal with challenging behaviour, so this is not new. What exacerbates the problem is a lack of understanding about the root causes and the support and resources to deal with it. Also, we don’t have a clear understanding of the level of disruption because there is no national collection of data around behaviour incidents.
Schools are undoubtedly feeling the pressure not to exclude children, particularly in primary, for a whole host of reasons. This is made worse by local authorities feeling afraid to support schools for fear of the repercussions, and by the changing Welsh government exclusions guidance, which attempts to further restrict exclusions, particularly for pupils with additional needs.
It goes without saying, I hope, that no school wants to exclude a child. These children have a right to education and no one wants to deny them that. But schools must ensure the safety of other children and staff, meaning a blanket approach of no exclusions is unfortunately not realistic.
Why is the child misbehaving? Of course, the reasons can be complex. In some cases, we simply don’t know, in others it is often because of trauma or issues far beyond the school gates that result in outbursts in school.
A lack of support for pupils with additional needs is also compounding the problem. Some children need interventions or one-to-one support that schools simply cannot provide. Others cannot cope in mainstream schools and should be supported in a setting that suits their needs - but there is simply not the space.
These children are vulnerable, and some may find it difficult to cope in a mainstream environment. Their fear and anxiety present in disruptive behaviour. They shouldn’t have been left in those situations in the first place.
Disruptive children need help, but where is that help going to come from? You don’t need me to go over the well-rehearsed arguments about the state of public sector finances. The reality is that every local authority is feeling the pressure, and I have sympathy with that.
For example, the scrapping of the schools’ police programme - which involved the police having much more of a proactive relationship with schools and pupils - has left a void, while waiting lists for referrals for mental health support for children are off the scale, again due to resources. The list goes on.
What schools need to happen
So, what do we do? I have a few suggestions.
Support schools to use the powers they have to deal with bad behaviour - don’t vilify leaders and tarnish their reputations by pushing a narrative that they are sitting back and doing nothing. They are doing all they can, and someone needs to have their backs.
Also, support schools to give pupils the help they need. Yes, that’s going to cost money because supporting vulnerable children requires specialist intervention. But what was the point of bringing in ALN (additional learning needs) legislation in Wales if you’re not going to fund the system properly?
Invest in identifying what the issues are. In Scotland, the government does a workforce survey about behaviour and abuse in schools, looking at causes of behaviour, identifying trends and tailoring support to tackle it. Let’s give that a try so we can direct the limited resources of schools, local authorities and health to where they are going to have an impact.
The vast majority of children come to school, work hard and are a credit to their schools, their families and their communities.
Let’s do something to help the minority and focus our attention on positive action.
It’s time to bring some fresh legs to the pitch and stop having disputes in the dressing room.
Let’s see what our coach, education secretary Lynne Neagle, has up her sleeve - and hope that club chair Eluned Morgan plays ball.
Laura Doel is national secretary of Welsh school leaders’ body NAHT Cymru
