Behaviour at Secondary School -Y7- is this usual low level disruption or more?

[Teabaglady]

I am getting quite concerned about behaviour at my DS's secondary school - Y7. Apparently lots of swearing at teachers, turning up late to lessons on purpose, using phones in class to play games, imessage children in other classes, or to play out noises like foghorns but more often swear words or offensive phrases. Some of the forms are now being mixed up again and some children have been excluded (temporarily) so teachers are on to the behaviour but it's still on-going. There also seems to be a culture of playing games on phones/tablets at lunch rather than 'playing' including apparently playing GTA ( these are 11 year old kids). Is this what secondary school is like? Am i just out of touch?

I've been threatened by a student, more than once in my career. But by a vanishingly small fraction of the students I've taught! A thread with that heading will get a particular response, of course.

Also, the OP was asking whether it is the nor for a significant number of students. It isn't, and it isn't low level disruption.

Teachers have been threatened at my ds's school. And there have been several fights this year. The pupils concerned have been dealt with severely. Is that depressing because the treats happened or encouraging because it was dealt with effectively? The sort of kids who are likely to threaten teachers and fight have to go to school somewhere. And the fact that the incidents have happen does not mean that the school feels unsafe or threatening.

Not typical of my very average comprehensive school. Teachers have iPads and when mine binged as I got an email during lesson time with y7 there was a collective intake of breath while they waited to see who would get in trouble for leaving their phone on! They were most disappointed when I said it was my iPad.

It does not make the posts invalid but them are not necessarily representative of an average day in the average school.

I was once, as a new teacher threatened by a student, I could have posted on that thread - I may have done. That was once in years of teaching and in no way represents the average experience. He was punished - and sent to a behaviour unit eventually.

It's called confirmation bias. I once started a thread about whether people were happy with their children's comprehensives or something like that, and I got loads of happy campers.

I was on that thread I think, LaQueen. I probably mentioned the three incidents of abuse I've been subjected to in the over 3000 days I've spent teaching full time in a perfectly ordinary comprehensive.

None of them were acceptable, not all of them were addressed particularly well by senior management, but I've encountered rather more abuse out of work over the years, actually. The school I teach in is a nice environment, & I'd be very happy for my dc to be there.

No, OP, what you describe wouldn't strike me as normal or acceptable behaviour in school at all.

That sounds like the school we took dd1 out of a year ago. At her new school there's no way it would be tolerated.

What happened to your infamous Death Stare, LaQueen, when you were allegedly being sworn and spat at? Or does that only work on young kids?

You still don't understand, LaQueen, after all the threads? Oh dear. Never mind, I'll happily explain it all to you again- but perhaps not on this thread. Start another one- this is the OPs.

OP - this is not the norm and you are not out of touch.

In my DS's comp (London, considerable social deprivation) mobiles are "no sight, no sound". If they are seen or heard anywhere in the building at any time (incl. before school, after school and breaks) they are confiscated for the week. Second offence - confiscated to end of term.

Swearing at teachers is an absolute no no. A system of detentions, reports and internal exclusion would kick in pronto.

Late for lessons - detention, unless you have a note in your planner from phase leader or head of year.

We sometimes think that the school goes over the top in dishing out detentions esp. re uniform and homework, but I would rather this than the situation you describe. And hey, we signed up to their rules.

I would be making my concerns known and seeking confirmation that processes are in place to tackle this unacceptable behaviour. Failing that I'd be looking to move.

Good luck - hope it improves.

OP Just wondering how it worked out for you?

Wondering if the behaviour was with all teachers or just less confident ones?

Wondering too OP. Any improvement?

Thanks for the continued interest! The HOY has shuffled some of the forms around this term and some of the more disruptive elements have been moved into another form where they get extra help with literacy. Have also been in contact with Head and she has expressed shock and surprise and is investigating ( not sure if that was a good idea on our part) Still unhappy with general atmosphere and the whole thing about smart phones in school. Have looked round one of the less selective local privates which has a space and now also on waiting list of our original first choice state school which has no spaces so not sure what will happen - other option is moving completely- I am concerned about moving DS in Year 7 but loads of people have reassured me that he would re-settle elsewhere