Unions are in

[Smartieshavetheanswer]

Behaviour in my comprehensive school is escalating badly. Union has been in for teaching staff, about 40 teachers, some middle management, turned up. Union bod recognises that we have "major problems". TA union meet scheduled soon. They unanimously feel the same. I'm friendly with reception, admin and kitchen staff and they feel strongly that their voices should be heard. They feel the same. Abused daily, weak consequences for those that bother to follow senior staff. Those that walk away get zero consequence - maybe a data exclusion - the kids laugh and love it.

We are, as a 130+ staff group, on our knees. SMT have not and do not recognise the issue. Union is reporting to Head next week and giving them 3 weeks to respond.

I'm concerned about the whole staff team and want their voices to be heard.

I want to look at strategies for dealing with a huge percentage of problem children (deprived area, high unemployment).

Desperate, sad and unable to face my own job. Only going in to support my colleagues and teach the small minority of pupils who know how to behave.

DAYS exclusion, not data exclusion.

Is the problem that your behaviour management policy is shit, or that it’s not being followed?

Are Ofsted due any time soon?

Hi noble
Ofsted are due imminently - we are certain they'll see the issues. Loyal staff are ready to shaft SMT. The behaviour policy is weak and volume of escalations are too much for SMT to cope with. That, and SMT query what departments are doing wrong - putting it back on to us.

Policy gives warnings and small consequences, more warnings, move seats, more warning, politely address child outside, allow them back in, more warnings, remove to colleagues class. There are almost 5 pupils that are extremely challenging (separate to low level disruptions- too many to count per lesson) and by the time we go through the policy, it's a merry dance and the lesson is gone. Children rarely attend detentions and when escalated, SMT don't follow through.

A receptionist was threatened by a pupil this week : threatened to put the safety window in reception through with a rock if their phone wasn't handed to them from the safe (confiscated). She was a fucking c*nt for following policy. When reported, SMT said 'any witnesses? No? Sorry. Can't help'.

This is an hourly occurrence.

This sounds like my last school. The issue was the same there- weak SLT not willing to stand up to push back from parents. Because that is why they’ll not be bothering. A good and rigorously applies behaviour policy will often result in more parental issues initially. They obviously can’t be arsed.

What is the current Ofsted rating? What’s the data like? How long has the head been in place?

Do you also have gangs of kids who were removed from lessons roaming the corridor during lesson time unchallenged by SLT? That is my least missed feature of my last school.

Yes - SMT are swamped by parents who want to put teachers in their place .

Corridors are swamped with a gang mentality between lessons. We are good as staff during class times and on call will challenge all
Pupils out of lessons but often get abuse back of pupils running away. Toilets vandalised in the most disgusting ways.

We were struggling 10 years ago - special measures but a new head with a couldn't give a shit about parents and exclusion rates attitude arrived and we improved. We succeeded above all costs. That head left and new head had been in place 3 years and our Level 2+ is falling quick and heavy.

We are a dedicated staff with a few rogue members but we are close (even closer since the union meet) and we fucking care. We are fed up of being abused, accused of assault (unfounded, all lies) and ignored.

The receptionist incident is horrifying. I feel like behaviour is on the decline everywhere but what you describe is extreme. Both schools I’ve worked in seem to have the same weak response - SLT’s failure to admit there is a problem, building in endless chances, refusing to take an adult’s word for what has happened, pandering to parents, desperate to manipulate numbers of consequences and exclusions down as far as possible, blaming teachers for pupil behaviour, not being out on the corridors to see for themselves what is going on, talking vaguely about ‘positive discipline’ and ‘restorative conversations’ but not training or supporting staff in how to implement this kind of system so ending up with a wishy washy, ineffectual system full to the brim of ‘special cases’ and excuses where pupils know they are the ones in charge and they don’t have to comply with anything they don’t feel like complying with.

It’s why my New Year’s resolution this year was to find a way out of teaching.

So similar to what’s happening in our place. Loyal, hardworking staff have now had enough and the wheels are starting to come off. Verbal abuse is a daily occurrence, with physical assaults on pupils and staff now a regular feature. Staff are ready to revolt so something is going to change soon.

What is your Union plan for progression if the head’s response isn’t favourable (review and overhaul of behaviour policy as a minimum)? Ballot for strike action?

Maintained school or academy? If maintained, have you contact with Local Authority officers?

Just read this and have no answers but just wanted to say you have my utmost sympathy because what you describe is heartbreaking. I've been in some similar situations to what you describe though not as extreme and I know a little of how it feels to not have that SLT backup. Headteachers need vision and courage for a school like yours and you and the pupils are being let down so badly by yours. Best of luck x

You have my sympathy too. I've seen how quickly a school can slide down the slippery slope when behaviour isn't top priority.

Because nothing else can happen in a school unless the behaviour is sorted. Learning and real progress cannot happen in an environment where the SLT operate like ostriches and the kids know there are no consequences.

It's scary. I got out, its not like that everywhere.

State school, not an academy. Union bod said ballot to strike - he urged us to stand by our convictions as he foresees an utter tragedy in the making here. He mentioned body cams and a push for class cameras! We have nothing to hide. Behaviour isn't even in the school development plan - not even recognised. I worry what would happen in school should we strike though.

Governors not even aware!

Cameras are placed around the school but only 1 is wired up, no money to wire others

Head has been given 3 weeks to respond but has announced they intend responding to the union within 1 week. Support staff have yet to meet with their unions though.

If you still have local authority officers (some LA's have lost their staff in budget cuts) they should be contacted. Are they aware? Are they offering support?

Unions may bring the LA in anyway.

What are the governing body doing? They are accountable for leader and staff health and well being.

This is indicative of a stressed system. Budget cuts by central government, less support for families. Schools are the only services left to pick up these children. The curriculum and high stakes focus on outcomes doesn't support children, who are increasingly disaffected. No money for wider services, enhanced provision being slimmed down or removed completely. More and more being asked of schools and their staff.

Reporting under safeguarding would be the other option. This can't be ignored by the LA.

Our SMT always “explain” how their hands are tied as apparently they’re not allowed to use PEX. Don’t know how true this is.

I worry what would happen in school should we strike though.

What do you mean? If you go on strike, the school closes for the day, there’s a picket line, the local press interview staff to find out exactly what’s going on, the head is asked to respond.

Even before that it becomes public knowledge that staff are threatening strike action and the governors would definitely be aware then!

They absolutely can use PEX but it sounds as though your behaviour system isn’t geared up to record the kind of evidence school would need to uphold a decision of PEX.

Safety is the main issue in these situations- both for staff and for kids. Someone will get seriously hurt if behaviour isn’t under control.

We have an inclusion unit for pupils That would normally be for PRU's - the PRU unit in our area has been closed down
due to lack of
Funding. This unit is full and we haven't the manpower to make more referrals.

There has been a staff injury last week directly caused by a pupil and still SMT seem to not take it seriously.

We've also had pupils accuse their teacher of assault (pupils statements reflected the truth and teacher was believed), another teacher accused of aggressive intimidation - opening a class door and asking pupil to leave) and another teacher accused last year of inappropriately touching a pupil to remove a mobile phone (staff saw teacher with hand out to receive a phone and no contact made at all). Each time these teachers have lost sleep, suffered anxiety (they doubted themselves because pupils accusations were so plausible). Parents furiously calling for instant dismissal and SMT offering these teachers zero support. These pupils lied, were proven to have lied and were not even punished. No exclusion. Nothing.

I’ll be honest- leave.

Go find somewhere else that will support you. They do exist. I left my last school and it has changed my life not to be in that environment anymore.

Unless there is a change of head and complete change of SLT then nothing is going to change for you. It is the sad truth.

Local Safeguarding Board or LADO need to be informed about the pupil disclosure/accusations against staff.

Your LA will also have a Whistleblower Policy. In my experience they will take this seriously.

You do have options to report and a duty to report under safeguarding.

Thanks everyone. Leaving is an option - there are at least 45 teachers who want to go - it's good colleagues keeping us here Day in day out.

I'll wait it out to see what the response to unions are and then examine the Local Authorities policies. We live this school, the area is so tough and the pupils need a terrific amount of support (high ADHD, lots of behavioural and emotional support needed, lots of EAL's), but staff are dedicated. This is the final push for change. It's quite a bold move and no one is enjoying it, but we'll see it through.