To agree with the punishment given in this example?

[MandSPressedApple]

DD is in Y6 and has been extremely trying lately. The girls in her class are at each other's throats constantly. They all seem to be a mess of hormones and top-dog-itis.

At the start of this week their teacher was off and they had a supply teacher. Apparently their behaviour was simply dreadful, but went from bad to worse when there was a fire drill, which seemed to be the cue for half of the class to run out shouting that the school was burning down and the other half to burst into hysterical tears because the school was 'burning down'.

The headmistress read them the riot act and has suspended their part in the Christmas Fair (traditionally ran by the Y6s) until she can see a marked improvement in behaviour.

Before all this had happened, there had been a meeting arranged with all Y6 parents on Thursday night, and obviously this took priority. Some parents were up in arms about the punishment and it actually got quite aggressive

So, having completely outed myself, what do you think? I'm really not one for collective punishment, but I feel in this situation it was the only thing to do.

I like the sound of the Head. I hope she didn't back down when faced with aggressive parents. (Her name isn't Miss Cromwell, is it?)

I don't have children, but there were times in my school days when the whole form was punished for the acts of a few (and it sounds as if this was way more than a few). It was just one of those things that happened. No-one would have dreamed of complaining to their parents and expecting them to intervene.

So is this the group of girls who can't participate or all the year 6's...Because group of girls yes but , for the hard working studious kids who have looked forward to this behaviour no.

Hate group punishments, however, the Marked improvent allows it to be earnt back. That is a true head speaking.

Presumably the head expects they'll all be on best behaviour for a while (supported by the better behaved in the class) and she will magnanimously reinstate their involvement.

Meanwhile plans continue as if y6 were never excluded.

I think it sounds a fair punishment. In y6 they should know how to behave sensibly in a fire drill and set an example to the rest of the school and I'd expect my dd to behave in an appropriate manner.

It's a Christmas fair so doesn't sound like they're missing out on too much but enough to make them think and change their behaviour.

All y6. The debacle seems to have been a group effort.

I think the headmistress has been very fair too. I am actually really disappointed in my DD- she has been trying the 'it's sooooo unfair' act. I've sent her to bed early and we are having a good chat tomorrow.

I think it's fair. It sounds as though many of the class were involved in the fire drill silliness and they need to recognise how serious that could be. By

It sounds very reasonable to me.

I find myself increasingly wishing more heads were like this. The horrendous lack of discipline in some schools is beyond me!

Let me guess - the parents complaining the most loudly were the parents of the worst behaved kids?!

They are only kids, but it's really dangerous for people to run around mock-panic shouting during a fire drill. If anything, HT has not been tough enough.

They'll have been doing fire drills termly since reception.

There is simply no excuse for massed bad behaviour like that. I think HT is being generous in giving them the chance to earn back participation in the fair. Especially as this just seems to be the tip of an iceberg of poor behaviour in the last week of so.

I agree that it's fair. They will be in Y7 soon. A secondary school would come down hard on that behaviour.

The supply teacher probably won't go back. Will the whinging parents be happy if their children are sent to other classes with worksheets next time their teacher is absent?

I too think it's fair, mainly because a failed evacuation in case of a fire is so very serious. Both running around (half of them) and hysterical crying (other half) are inappropriate and can put self and others in danger. Can of course happen in Y2, but Y6 had enough practice.

If in a real fire some silly kids run around joking and others lose it, there are consequences way beyond the school fair and the head is protecting her Y6s and the rest of the school.