School where children must smile all the time, follow whistled commands and never glance out of the window

[Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g]

www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/parents-slam-school-rules-always-24451911

Sounds horrific. I'd home educate a child rather than send them to a place like this. I can't help thinking one of the responses on Twitter I saw may be right - are they trying to drive out children with additional needs who might pull down the GCSE results? My daughter is an adult now but she would have been destroyed by an environment like this. She's very bright but on the autistic spectrum.

Parents have criticised strict new school rules which include "always smiling", never looking out the window and even asking permission to pick up a pen.

Natalie Teece, the newly-appointed headteacher at John Ferneley College in Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire, has drafted the guidelines ahead of the school reopening in September.

The new rules were delivered to parents in an e-booklet, along with three videos explaining the research and the reason behind them.

Ms Teece said that when 11 to 16-year-olds students return to class, they will be expected to "always smile" and learn to respond to a series of whistle commands given by staff.

They also must enter the classroom in single file, "never forget to say Sir or Miss", always sit up straight and must thank their teacher as they leave the classroom after a lesson.

Walking in a group of more than two people and looking out of windows in class are also banned.

Turning around "even if you hear a noise" is forbidden and pupils have to maintain eye contact with the teacher whenever they are talking, the rules say.

Kids have to wait to be told they may pick up a pen or ruler and if a teacher says hello to them they should make sure their reply is "upbeat".

.......

One rule about lining up said staff will be using whistles to direct kids, with five sounds meaning they must move to their line up area, and one indicating pupils should be silent.

Another about "tracking" the teacher said: "You don't pick up your pen or your ruler, or anything else, until your teacher gives you the signal.

"You never turn around - even if you hear a noise behind you. You don't look out of the window. You don't lose focus."

A rule on sitting up straight said: "You never slouch. Be sitting up straight you are demonstrating physical respect. [ ...] No exceptions. No excuses."

And another said: "You always smile. You are polite and welcoming. When you greet somebody you smile, when a teacher says hello to us in the corridor you reply with an upbeat 'Hello Miss!' or 'Morning Sir!' and you smile."

The guidelines inform students that they are "extremely fortunate to be in a school that is very popular" and must walk around the school only in single file or pairs.
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I actually think, going against the grain here, that sensibly implemented this could be a good thing.

Whistles are fine, if they're used in sport and in the same ways as bells - ie to get a group of children to come together, come inside or be quiet. It's not training them to sit on command like dogs, is it?

Constant smiling and eye contact - again rictus grins for 8 hours a day and staring into eyes obviously not. But a pleasant, positive demeanour whilst at school? Looking at a teacher and engaging when they're speaking to you? No issue with that so long as they have good pastoral care for children who need it and are on the lookout for those who are struggling. I cannot believe any teacher worth their salt would ignore potential safeguarding concerns because their pupil had a smile on their face.

Not turning around, picking up pens etc? Discipline! Again, being sensible about it I would hope they mean no constant fiddling, gazing out of the window when the teacher is talking, distracting others.

Walking on one side of corridors only was a thing at my school (and still is) which had a lot of poor discipline and I left in 2000. This is not new.

The problem is that discipline (or lack of it) is such an issue in our schools that they need to start cracking down and being specific.

I would also hope reasonable adjustments are made for those with SEN and EHCPs. They need to be, legally so there is no way the school can just not bother.

I say all this with a child with SEN and an EHCP in a mainstream primary. My child would love this because she is a total rule follower who is constantly upset by the poor behaviour of others. She likes to know where she stands and clear rules allow this. I appreciate totally that not all children with SEN are like this but overall, I feel like if we had better discipline in our schools then everyone would be happier and learn more. Children with SEN should also be receiving the correct, tailored support to enable them to thrive as well as possible in that environment but sadly for many as we know that doesn't happen.

How big is this field? At break right so they are all chatting etc?

A whistle?

My schools had bells outdoors or a handbell.

Anyway that's not my main issue with what I've read, I need to see the original doc.

The connotations of rows of children lined up and following whistled instructions does immediately make me think of things I've seen in the past from certain regimes around the world. That's what sprang to mind- other people don't think of that so will naturally have a different view.

I really need to see the doc though! The press might be embellishing, or not.

This conversation does not have the full facts so is more about how different people think what the full picture is and what it actually means etc.

'for 8 hours a day and staring into eyes obviously not. But a pleasant, positive demeanour whilst at school? Looking at a teacher and engaging when they're speaking to you?'

You're assuming. No one knows for sure.

'! Again, being sensible about it I would hope they mean no constant fiddling, gazing out of the window when the teacher is talking, distracting others.'

Again, we don't actually know.

Need info!

@NiceGerbil

'for 8 hours a day and staring into eyes obviously not. But a pleasant, positive demeanour whilst at school? Looking at a teacher and engaging when they're speaking to you?'

You're assuming. No one knows for sure.

'! Again, being sensible about it I would hope they mean no constant fiddling, gazing out of the window when the teacher is talking, distracting others.'

Again, we don't actually know.

Need info!

I am assuming, absolutely. Because it's just got to be click-bait nonsense that a HT expects teenagers to smile for six hours a day solidly or that they will receive detention for picking up a pen without explicit instruction.

But a HT enforcing strict behaviour standards, expectations and getting great learning outcomes as a result? Can totally see that happening and can also see lots of parents up in arms at their little darlings having to actually behave themselves and so blowing things like this up totally out of all proportion in the press.

It sounds like an experiment in how to increase MH issues.

Um. Will a fire alarm.

Which is generally the school bell!!

I say all this with a child with SEN and an EHCP in a mainstream primary. My child would love this because she is a total rule follower who is constantly upset by the poor behaviour of others. She likes to know where she stands and clear rules allow this.

Yes my son is exactly the same.

@MotionActivatedDog

Um. Will a fire alarm.

Which is generally the school bell!!

The fire alarm is normally completely different from the school bell.

School bell rings the kids head to their next classroom.
Fire alarm has to sound completely different as when it sounds the kids need to evacuate and line up outside. Expecting kids to line up is completely normal and not remotely totalitarian.

Our fire alarm was the school bell but continuous so we knew it wasn’t the bell for next class or lunch.

We have no bells at my school. I love it.

A read a little about the Michaela school philosophy in general. They are aiming at the lowest common denominator. Basically if you don't keep these kids on a very tight leash, they'll behave like animals and end up in prison. Now they will have some better chances of gainful employment.

Its not aimed at middle class population.

I just read this article oh fb and couldn't believe it. No one smiles all day and thanking every teacher after every lesson WTF?
No one thanks me when I finish work and I don't expect them to because it's my job and I get paid, and I'm assuming the teachers do too.
The only decent part was saying Miss or Sir to the teachers, the rest is shit. Always be upbeat, always smile, never turn round or look out of the window, respond to whistle commands.
The school might be popular with long waiting lists now but I bet it won't be in a, couple of years time m

@Bobbybobbins

We have no bells at my school. I love it.

No bells, all whistles?

@MotionActivatedDog

Um. Will a fire alarm.

Which is generally the school bell!!

No it isn’t, do you really think the school bell is linked up to the smoke and heat detector system?

That’s child abuse 😢

Call me overdramatic, but I think punishing children for having emotions that aren't to your liking is an awful lesson to teach. Politeness is one thing, but nobody is entitled to a smile from you. Makes me think of men who publically harass women for not looking happy enough for a complete stranger.

Which is generally the school bell!!

When was the last time you spent 5 consecutive days in a school?

Follow up question:

How many schools have you spent 5 or more consecutive days in over the last decade?

Call me overdramatic, but I think punishing children for having emotions that aren't to your liking is an awful lesson to teach

It would be.

So it’s a good job that is not happening.

Be sitting up straight you are demonstrating physical respect. [ ...] No exceptions. No excuses.

God help the kid with scoliosis.

@FlibbertyGiblets

Yes similar to the Michaela school in Brent. It is not an unmitigated disaster there.

But I wonder how their pupils cope when they have to go to college or university and start thinking for themselves?

No one thanks me when I finish work and I don't expect them to because it's my job and I get paid

I’m a teacher and genuinely do not expect to be thanked by my pupils at the end of class. Some do which is lovely.

It’s not unusual to thank someone who is doing a job. If I get off a bus I thank the driver, seen my GP I thank them, in a restaurant/bar, I thank the server. It’s basic manners.

Should kids be made to thank teachers 5 times a day. Seems a bit much, and is probably just there for clickbait purposes.

But saying thank you is just decent manners.

They are expected to pay full attention in lessons and to look at the teacher when he/ she is speaking
Contrast that approach with the 'Educating Essex/Yorkshire schools and no one could possibly deny that the Michaela approach is the correct one

I know someone from the Educating Essex/Yorkshire series and someone who went to one of these strict inner city London schools (Not Michaela) and the difference between the 2 in how they are coping after they left school is not as you would think.
The lack of flexibility out side of the classroom has really impacted the one that went to the strict school.
Whether that is just that one person but I wouldn’t write off those that went to a more relaxed school.

I know I would have hated going to this type of very strict school. Not being able to look out of the window, being quiet and pleasant at all time.

I have had a few office jobs like that and they all ended up with me having a breakdown.
I can’t see Dd or Ds coping either.

But I wonder how their pupils cope when they have to go to college or university and start thinking for themselves

Probably extremely well, as they will have received a decent education due to the lack of low level disruption in their school.

@Terhou

Be sitting up straight you are demonstrating physical respect. [ ...] No exceptions. No excuses.

God help the kid with scoliosis.

That was what I said to DH when I read that! My best friend at school had it.

@SmileEachDay

Call me overdramatic, but I think punishing children for having emotions that aren't to your liking is an awful lesson to teach

It would be.

So it’s a good job that is not happening.

Have you seen the booklet? I can't find it anywhere!

Would love to read it.

Really want to see what the smiling thing actually says.