Behaviour, is it just my school?

[PupInAPram]

In the decades I've worked here, behaviour has never been this bad. Off the scale bad. Is it something to do with my school, or is it happening in all schools?

This was mid 90s.

A million times this.

I am secondary and it is draining.

Behaviour in the younger years, answering back, lack of manners, lack of work ethic in about 50% of the students.

Attitude is awful in the older years, Yr 10 rude, lazy (I do have a bottom set so this is often the case for some but its the whole class), I have a group of year 10's targeting me, rude emails, comments as I walk around the school, disruptive behaviour - spoke to one mum and was told the student sometimes takes a dislike to a teacher and will behave like this so I have to accept it.

My year 13's, some put more effort into bugging me to raise a predicted grade than they have done work wise for my course over the past 2 years.

My year 11's are lovely but I have had a lot of them since Yr 9 so we worked through the second lockdown together.

I also volunteer with a youth group and most weeks they are lovely, last week I did point out I don't go to carry on being a teacher - I am blaming the strike day and the full moon!

I do think there is evidence of a distinct lack of parenting during the lockdowns that has made an impact, which isn't being addressed now, I know I gave in more to save all our sanity but have had to wind it back in since. I also have a Yr 3 and Yr 2 child myself, Yr 3 are seriously immature and it drives my eldest nuts.

It's grown awful, feral kids with parents who indulge them and zero firm guidance or discipline at home. I've seen it over and over and over with the kids I've worked with as well as other kids at my children's schools. And teacher's hands are tied.

Yes behaviour at my school in the 80s was awful. I think my own DC's experience (now early 20s) was much better and children much kinder to each other than they were when I was at school, but the current situation in schools is off the scale. It may have been building for a while but this is a marked change since we got back to "normal" after covid.

I think a PP may have a point about the dreaded phones - DD was the last in her friendship group to get a phone in year 6 (at the very end) and I think it does encourage certain behaviour that is thoughtless, not with DD but it is evident that those on their phones the most have the shortest concentration spans and that leads to being bored which leads to disruption in the classroom.

Behaviour was appalling ten years ago when I left. I dread to think what it’s like now.

Sorry, that was primary.

I honestly believe it to be the aftermath of lockdowns.

There's very little extreme behaviour at my primary school but low level disrespect is increasing. Children just don't seem to pay attention. Partly, it's the curriculum and style of teaching that is to blame. Lessons are all Power Points, expectations of work are inappropriate for the age of children, there's far too much sitting, listening, videos, formulaic lessons and boring topics.

I've spent quite a lot of time helping out with my son at nursery and then school (nursery was mainly the same kids). I know them well and know which behave and which play up. They are a good class. There are an above average with special needs but they are nice kids. Except one.

He shouldn't be in the school. The amount he's been disruptive and violent is awful. He also sets up the other kids to do stuff and because they are terrified of him having a melt down they go along with it. He is controlling the whole class and his behaviour is normalised meaning others copy.

If he was removed from the situation the class would be a dream in comparison. Whenever something kicks off, he's either involved or in the immediate vicinity playing with those kids. There's few problems if he's not in the picture. Other parents have noticed when their child is getting into situations which are out of character too.

It only takes one or two to cause a ripple effect. These kids just need removing. In the past they would have. There were more alternative settings in the past. Now the drive is to be inclusive and it's just not working for anyone in the equation.

COVID made it worse because parents didn't challenge/ manage the behaviour of their kids if they needed that. That's hard to rewind. The kids lack emotional maturity that kids a few years ago had because they learnt to manage their playground interactions at the appropriate age.

We need actual discipline. My TA friend who is being constantly hit ATM is beside herself with it because there are no consequences for the behaviour. The school does restorative justice but if you have a kid who doesn't give a shit and has no empathy it's useless.

Kids who have their behaviour managed by parents with screen time are, ime by far the most problematic...

All the teachers I know say the same yes.

Is a post-pandemic thing.

Not just covid. One huge factor is kids gaming and being on SM for hours and hours on end from a young age sometimes first thing in the morning and late at night. Add to this copious amounts of junk food for many, lack of physical activity and poor boundaries from parents and you have feral kids.

I agree it's outside of school too at extracurriculars. DH volunteers at Cub Scouts and their group leader is leaving because of declining behaviour. They can be quite difficult to control, but are a breeze compared to how the Beaver's behaviour has turned... DH helped this week with them and came home shocked at the noise, fighting, disrespect, and lack of listening. One 6yo was hitting another, DH told him to stop, and the DC turned round and said "you can't tell me what to do because you're not a leader!" 😲 I suggested to DH perhaps it is time he starts wearing his Uniform shirt to sessions (which is optional at our group for the adults at weekly meetings), but it shouldn't be necessary! DH actually came back keen to switch to Beavers as he felt so sorry for the group leader, who clearly needs another regular pair of (firm!) hands to manage the lodge, but I suspect it will kill any enjoyment DH gets from volunteering. Who the hell wants to give up their spare time for free to be backchatted by a 6yo and split up fights, all whilst developing tinnitus from the screaming?!

I agree with PPs about the heavy expectations of the curriculum on DCs though. I recently started a thread about the 5.5hrs/wk of homework my 8yo is being set - it is too much! And to top it off, if it isn't completed, they are kept in at lunchtime to do it in school.
And YY to the crammed timetables and inflexibility. Someone somewhere has forgotten these are small developing humans and not machines. I'm not sure how an adult would maintain this sort of pace for 14+ years, let alone a DC. No wonder children's mental health is in tatters.

@RedToothBrush arw you saying because he has additional needs he has no empathy? And because he has additional needs he shouldn’t be allowed to mix with other children in mainstream, and should be packed off to a special school? Really?

This thread is so concerning to read - but I'm wondering if it's just the people having problems who are posting?
My DS is Y10, behaviour in his year group is exemplary. Normal, run-of-the-mill state school. He and his cohort are well behaved and engaged in learning, and the feedback from his teachers is excellent.
DD is Y9 - behaviour in her cohort is pretty poor admittedly. Lots of dramas and falling in/out with each other. But I remember this being the case with Y9 girls years ago when dd1 was at that stage. Dd2 is definitely a lot more immature than dd1 was, and I'm sure the lockdowns have contributed to that.
Dsis teaches P1 in Scotland, and hasn't noticed any deterioration in behaviour compared to previous year groups. Perhaps we've just missed the more susceptible cohorts?

So not just us. We have had numerous senior leadership and behaviour policy changes over the last 10 years, and I was convinced it must be that. This makes me think its everywhere and the changes we have been through are the various attempts to tackle it but not the cause of it.

@Girasoli we are a very large secondary.

I went to school in the 60s and 70s. Behaviour at my London comprehensive was poor but nothing compared to what I encounter now in a large secondary in a relative affluent area. Staff are leaving in ever increasing numbers and are very difficult to replace.

I work in a primary school, and we have no issues with behaviour (well, there are individual children with issues, but there always have been).

What shocks me is the TAs in their early 20's, who think it's totally acceptable to talk to through online training sessions. These people left school pre-covid, so that's no excuse. They also went to "good" / "outstanding" local schools with no serious behaviour issues that I've heard of. Some of them intend to go into teaching in the future. My older colleagues and I are shocked at their behaviour. All they have to do is sit there and listen, but apparently they seem to think moaning "I'm bored" and chatting amongst themselves is acceptable. They don't do it if the HT is present, so I know they can sit and listen if they want to.

Also, to add to my comment above, parents are also more aggressive. I have parents regularly calling me a bitch/c*nt etc. It doesn't surprise me in the least when their children behave similarly

Very true!

I left just before covid, largely because of behaviour. Tory cuts to education over twelve years created a steep decline - more families in stressful, chaotic circumstances thanks to austerity, increasing class sizes, declining support for additional needs, the destruction of mental health services and the expectation that schools could step into the breach created by the collapse of all other services and meet every need with fewer and fewer resources and escalating demand.

It's a Tory government issue: they have decimated all our public services. Covid is a gift to them because everything can now be blamed on that. I have no doubt lockdowns and home schooling have enormously accelerated and exacerbated the existing crisis, but it was already there. Also agree phones and social media are a problem.

Lots of schools implemented positive behaviour management, but really badly, taking it to mean that bad behaviour should be rewarded with a cup of hot chocolate and a friendly chat and any further bad behaviour should be blamed on class teachers. I think it's now a perfect storm and I'm so glad I'm out of teaching now.

It's really bad in our secondary school. It's spilling out into our local village after school and residents are terrified.

Police don't do anything. The kids don't care about then anyway. It's very scary. What happens when they're all out of school and meant to be working?