Scrap SATs. They serve schools only, they put 10/11 yr old children under great pressure from the end of year 5 onwards, and often have ramifications on their mental health as they enter high school.
Introduce more flexible attendance targets so they work with the children, not the government who dictate unrealistic standards that many children, particularly those with SN, cannot attain. Stop rewarding 100% attendance as this is discriminatory and often rewards children whose parents have sent them in to school ill.
Stop locking loos up. Supervise them better if necessary.
Introduce better procedures to deal with bullying effectively. Very often ND kids are bullied by popular NT kids and teachers turn a blind eye. Anyone bullying should face consequences whoever they are. If it doesn’t stop then escalate it.
Teaching has changed in the last 20 years. It used to be fairly flexible so the children who needed to be pushed were pushed, those who needed a more flexible approach and more encouragement got that. It’s far more a one size fits all situation now.
Allow more schooling options so that more children’s needs can be met. Academies have been great for some, but disastrous for others, even if their GCSE results are good. I know too many children (including my own) who were really harmed by an academy. Unfortunately over the last few years the behaviour policies of them have dripped into LA mainstream schools.
Stop having old etonians who have zero idea of 1. how mainstream schools work and 2. how the “other half” live.
Instead (and this should apply to the NHS too) there should be a panel filled with people who’ve worked in all aspects of education, and include disabled ex pupils who can advise on their experiences.
Give schools more autonomy over the rules they set. Some schools have higher numbers of SN, some have higher rates of very academic children, schools should be trusted to deliver lessons in a way that their pupils will best respond to.
For children who school refuse there should be greater understanding of the stress they are under, and more flexibility around the approach to schooling for them. Give them the respect that adults have around work - more options, allowed to take sick days without being punished and having threats of court and fines.
Look at approaches that other countries take that work, but ideally not try to implement Chinese methods on children who are not brought up in a hothousing communist country.
We have the infrastructure of schools, we could slowly introduce methods that work well elsewhere, but remembering to drop the methods that don’t work (schools seem to pile strategies on top of strategies without dropping the redundant ones, which must been pointless work for teachers and overwhelm for children).
Reopen 14+ colleges. Let them be valid options for disengaged children who may fare better if they can learn a trade. Our nearest is now a 2.5 hour bus ride away which my ds could not cope with. The one 20 minutes drive away was closed.
More flexibility around uniform. Options of polo shirts instead of uncomfortable shirt and tie would make life easier for many children and would look just as smart.
Most schools now have a few quiet areas for children who need them, but very often gatekeep them and stop pupils using them. Let them be used freely. If a child struggles to be in school all day let them go to a quiet room - they’re already supervised, let them go. If these children know that this is always an option they will feel less stressed overall and will be more likely to engage.
Turn off smart boards when not in use.
Have areas in the classroom with dimmer lighting. Check fluorescent type lighting, (or whatever it is that they use) there are usually flickers which are overwhelming.
Remove the acres of shiny laminated shit on the walls - it may be educational shit but after the first week everyone is blind to it apart from the poor autistic kids who are over stimulated by it! OFSTED really fucked up dictating that every square inch be covered in educational material. A few posters up, but a nice calm classroom would benefit most.
Options around seating. Some thrive in groups, some on their own. Mix it up, allow children to learn what works best for them.
Ban phones on school property.
Thats a few to start off with. There are so many things within schools that raise stress levels for many pupils, not just those with SN.
It’s very possible that a better approach using what we know about children would serve them all better, and may mean that teachers aren’t seeing more and more extreme behaviour in the classroom.
The whole thing is a shambles. I know so many teachers who left because they no longer wanted to be part of a system that lets down so many children.
It’s no wonder so many are mentally struggling - teachers and pupils!