to hope that the predicted cabinet reshuffle kicks Gove out of education

[creamteas]

he has done so much damage so far, I am really hoping he gets his walking papers.... even the devil we don't know has got to be better surely....

[marriedinwhite]

I don't have time to read all of this. But I do believe the answer to badly behaved childen is expulsion and this is something that needs to be funded in the context of special units for those who are destroying the opportunities of the majority who can behave. Further, such children need to be supported in the context of acceptable boundaries because when they start work, if they start work, no exceptions will be made for their backgrounds if their conduct is as unacceptable in the workplace as it is or has been in the classroom.

I speak as a parent who removed a child from a top 100 comprehensive becuase the behaviour of a significant minority was not being managed, was not being dealt with and was impacting the achievement of the majority. We had the means to remove our child, many parents do not. It is disgraceful that the education system has allowed the achievements of the majority to be diluted becuase there is no remedy for the minority whose behaviour is regularly criminal in nature, ie, assault, theft, intimidation, etc.

Not acceptable; not a feather in the cap for the teaching profession which excuses it. There are many many children from difficult background who are not destroying the opportunities of the majority.

I have one child who has been independently educated since the age of 8 and one since the age of 13. In the independent sector expectations are clear, sanctions are clear, boundaries are clear and consequences are both clear and disseminated.

[epeesarepointythings]

married I agree 100% but that will cost money. Schools don't have a lot of money at the moment, and the funnelling of budgets to free schools does not help this.

So schools will not be able to afford to expel unruly children, and nothing will change.

I genuinely believe that properly-funded and staffed pupil referral units, where children can be sent at a young age, can nip a lot of problems in the bud - especially if there is joined up thinking in terms of wider family intervention and support. But we won't get that, not from this government and probably not from any other government either.

[marriedinwhite]

I, for one, would be happy to pay more tax to fund it. It would be cheaper, I am quite sure, than the £15,000 per year we are now spending so that our dd can be educated safely and in a non disruptive environment. The opportunity cost for the majority is huge. Every 10 minutes settling a disruptive child costs the other 29 in learning terms. 29 x 10 minutes is almost five hours of learning. It is simply not acceptable to make the majority suffer and to dilute their learning on a continuous daily basis. Those who claim their is no choice and such children cannot be deprived an education at a good school do not have my support, do not have my sympathy and do not have my respect. The impact on the majority of teachers in the context of work related stress is wholly unacceptable.

Anyone hazard a guess at when the next London riots will be taking place?

[BoneyBackJefferson]

In the county that I work in it costs £3000 for a single terms worth of refferal.

For those less academically minded when they go to to the local colleges for a day a week to learn a trade it costs £3000 pa.

The budget restrictions that are being placed on schools are preventing buildings being repaired, equipment being bought and a whole host of staffing issues.

[epeesarepointythings]

Me too, married And we do not earn enough that independent schools would be affordable for us at all, but still. State schools would on the whole do so much better if only we could put the truly troubled children where they need to be - and this would be to the benefit of all.

[BoneyBackJefferson]

epeesarepointythings
"State schools would on the whole do so much better if only we could put the truly troubled children where they need to be - and this would be to the benefit of all."

A sentiment that I think that we can all agree with. :)