This school needs support and we would be glad to help.
D
David Edwards
9 years ago
I share the concerns that many other parents have expressed here. I am not aware of a widespread problem with discipline across the school. It seems that rather than dealing with the specific pupils and teachers where there are behaviour ussues, a draconian approach has been introduced for all pupils with minimum consultation which will significantly change the ethos of the school. I would urge the school to withdraw this proposal and initiate a more measured dialigue with pupils and parents as to what issues need to be addressed and to consider more proportionate steps to addess these. If the cuurent proposal is implemented as currently drafted there is a very strong likliehood of this not being supported by large numbers of parents which will a) render the measures ineffective and b) significantly damage the school's relationship with pupils and parents.
D
Dr James Lang
9 years ago
I believe that there needs to be a period of consultation with parents during which the ethos underlying the Code of Conduct can be explained appropriately, and parents can feedback their concerns.
W
Wim Peters
9 years ago
British education is being drilled down too far, I urge a sense of measuredness.
E
Elbo
9 years ago
This seems unecessarily extreme. The PISA worldwide education league tables reports show evidence that schools in the UK are creating a more stressful environment for their students than any other in Europe yet they are still performing behind them. Studetns happiness seems to go hand in hand with performance. Students in the Netherlands for example are confident and happy - there is less presusure on them and they perform better. Draconian methods do not create a healthy learning environment - especially when the punishment is removing a child to isolation for such minor reasons as forgetting a planner twice - the message becomes clear to them that eduction is pretty worthless but obedience is a priority. If a teacher is unable to make successful and positive relationships with their studetns - maybe they should consider a different career..? Healthy young people need to be respected and to show respect - and these two go hand in hand but they are not dogs to be trained. I taught in a very challenging Rotherham school during a period of a lot of unrest (2 schools merging - and outbreaks of violence within the school grounds) - my curriculum area was the strongest in the school - and students repected us. They knew where they stood - they understood the consequences system - but it was a fair one - not an impossible one that drove a wedge between staff and students. We had a FAIR consequences scheme. Removal from our lessons to isolation was absolutely not encouraged - we had to learn skills to develop good relationships with our students isntead. We were backed up by a Consequence system - first warning (within a lesson)name put on board; 2nd warning (break time detention), 3rd warning: evening detention. With humour or sensititvity a child's name could also be erased from a column on the board if they made it very obvious they were making a real effort within a lesson. No isolation unless severe behaviour eg danger or abuse to another student or member of
M
Michael McColgan
9 years ago
The comments I've seen so far are very similar to those some of us have raised separately, and I fully support them. It would be better if we could co-ordinate our response as soon as possible (I don't think it is a coincidence that Ms Gooden's prescriptions have been issued so close to the end of the school year.)
L
Liz Brown
9 years ago
My concerns as a parent are the impact on the majority of pupils in the school. This change doesn't feel to be designed with the majority of well behaved pupils in mind, rather it is treating all pupils as if they are badly behaved.
The idea of making the start and end of lessons more controlled seems to be for 2 reasons: 1, to ensure a swifter start to learning – from what I have heard (and previously fed back to Mrs Gooden) any issues with this are restricted to certain teachers, and I feel would be better dealt with by supporting individual teachers. 2, the end of lesson regime to speed movement to the next lesson – this means that if a pupil wants to ask a teacher something there is no longer a chance as the teacher stands in the corridor. My child has tried to ask an additional question and been told they can't and just have to leave, this stops conscientious pupils from gaining more.
The use of isolation for forgetting a planner twice is completely disproportionate. I know of an exceptionally well behaved pupil who has never got a single behaviour point in 4 years; but who has forgotten their planner once and is now very stressed about the prospect of isolation. I also know some teachers are concerned about the increased stress levels on well behaved children.
As for having 'on the day detention', I feel there should be 24 hours notice as prior arrangements need to be considered.
The policy on having phones off during lessons is good and appropriate, but the notion of removing them seems to have been taken to the extreme. I know of one child who's Mum rang their phone 5 minutes before the end of the day and the phone was confiscated. When the Mum phoned a second time the phone was taken to the head of years office – but the pupil had nothing to do with this and hadn't used their phone. Also saying that after a second confiscation a parent/carer needs to collect the phone makes no allowance for working parents.
The use of 'achievement points
F
Finlay Baker
9 years ago
As a pupil, I think that the new rules are stricter than they need to be.
A
Anonymous
9 years ago
I had no idea that there was proposed acadamisation at KES and this development is really worrying
N
Nichola Baker
9 years ago
Featured
I'm still waiting for a response to my email sent two weeks ago asking these very same questions! If the school are unwilling to work in partnership with us as parents then they will no longer have my support.
J
JIM MONACH
9 years ago
Think again and discuss properly. Agree fully
M
Matt Range
9 years ago
I agree. The new policy is draconian and uses disproportionate punishment. Isolation is an extreme form of punishment and should not be used so readily. The overall tone of the policy is both oppressive and heavy handed. It sends out a bad message about the school.
J
Joe Ollerenshaw
9 years ago
I totally agree
A
Anonymous
9 years ago
I agree
Z
Zoy Mills
9 years ago
Featured
My main concern is that children with processing and working memory issues could be punished for having a learning disability.
Also a lot of behavioral problems are due to a speech and language deficit.
However, I feel appropriate behaviour needs to be upheld and not be disturbing the majority of children.
L
Linda Gooden
9 years ago
I totally agree.
R
Ron
9 years ago
Bun kingedwards
M
Meyoma Usen
9 years ago
Featured
Although my children have left they will be attending 6th form. The use of isolation serves no purpose and should be used in situations when the pupil is disruptive not when they have no planner. It is disgraceful that pupils will miss a day of learning because they have no timetable
I love chicken
This school needs support and we would be glad to help.
I share the concerns that many other parents have expressed here. I am not aware of a widespread problem with discipline across the school. It seems that rather than dealing with the specific pupils and teachers where there are behaviour ussues, a draconian approach has been introduced for all pupils with minimum consultation which will significantly change the ethos of the school. I would urge the school to withdraw this proposal and initiate a more measured dialigue with pupils and parents as to what issues need to be addressed and to consider more proportionate steps to addess these. If the cuurent proposal is implemented as currently drafted there is a very strong likliehood of this not being supported by large numbers of parents which will a) render the measures ineffective and b) significantly damage the school's relationship with pupils and parents.
I believe that there needs to be a period of consultation with parents during which the ethos underlying the Code of Conduct can be explained appropriately, and parents can feedback their concerns.
British education is being drilled down too far, I urge a sense of measuredness.
This seems unecessarily extreme. The PISA worldwide education league tables reports show evidence that schools in the UK are creating a more stressful environment for their students than any other in Europe yet they are still performing behind them. Studetns happiness seems to go hand in hand with performance. Students in the Netherlands for example are confident and happy - there is less presusure on them and they perform better. Draconian methods do not create a healthy learning environment - especially when the punishment is removing a child to isolation for such minor reasons as forgetting a planner twice - the message becomes clear to them that eduction is pretty worthless but obedience is a priority. If a teacher is unable to make successful and positive relationships with their studetns - maybe they should consider a different career..? Healthy young people need to be respected and to show respect - and these two go hand in hand but they are not dogs to be trained. I taught in a very challenging Rotherham school during a period of a lot of unrest (2 schools merging - and outbreaks of violence within the school grounds) - my curriculum area was the strongest in the school - and students repected us. They knew where they stood - they understood the consequences system - but it was a fair one - not an impossible one that drove a wedge between staff and students. We had a FAIR consequences scheme. Removal from our lessons to isolation was absolutely not encouraged - we had to learn skills to develop good relationships with our students isntead. We were backed up by a Consequence system - first warning (within a lesson)name put on board; 2nd warning (break time detention), 3rd warning: evening detention. With humour or sensititvity a child's name could also be erased from a column on the board if they made it very obvious they were making a real effort within a lesson. No isolation unless severe behaviour eg danger or abuse to another student or member of
The comments I've seen so far are very similar to those some of us have raised separately, and I fully support them. It would be better if we could co-ordinate our response as soon as possible (I don't think it is a coincidence that Ms Gooden's prescriptions have been issued so close to the end of the school year.)
My concerns as a parent are the impact on the majority of pupils in the school. This change doesn't feel to be designed with the majority of well behaved pupils in mind, rather it is treating all pupils as if they are badly behaved. The idea of making the start and end of lessons more controlled seems to be for 2 reasons: 1, to ensure a swifter start to learning – from what I have heard (and previously fed back to Mrs Gooden) any issues with this are restricted to certain teachers, and I feel would be better dealt with by supporting individual teachers. 2, the end of lesson regime to speed movement to the next lesson – this means that if a pupil wants to ask a teacher something there is no longer a chance as the teacher stands in the corridor. My child has tried to ask an additional question and been told they can't and just have to leave, this stops conscientious pupils from gaining more. The use of isolation for forgetting a planner twice is completely disproportionate. I know of an exceptionally well behaved pupil who has never got a single behaviour point in 4 years; but who has forgotten their planner once and is now very stressed about the prospect of isolation. I also know some teachers are concerned about the increased stress levels on well behaved children. As for having 'on the day detention', I feel there should be 24 hours notice as prior arrangements need to be considered. The policy on having phones off during lessons is good and appropriate, but the notion of removing them seems to have been taken to the extreme. I know of one child who's Mum rang their phone 5 minutes before the end of the day and the phone was confiscated. When the Mum phoned a second time the phone was taken to the head of years office – but the pupil had nothing to do with this and hadn't used their phone. Also saying that after a second confiscation a parent/carer needs to collect the phone makes no allowance for working parents. The use of 'achievement points
As a pupil, I think that the new rules are stricter than they need to be.
I had no idea that there was proposed acadamisation at KES and this development is really worrying
I'm still waiting for a response to my email sent two weeks ago asking these very same questions! If the school are unwilling to work in partnership with us as parents then they will no longer have my support.
Think again and discuss properly. Agree fully
I agree. The new policy is draconian and uses disproportionate punishment. Isolation is an extreme form of punishment and should not be used so readily. The overall tone of the policy is both oppressive and heavy handed. It sends out a bad message about the school.
I totally agree
I agree
My main concern is that children with processing and working memory issues could be punished for having a learning disability. Also a lot of behavioral problems are due to a speech and language deficit. However, I feel appropriate behaviour needs to be upheld and not be disturbing the majority of children.
I totally agree.
Bun kingedwards
Although my children have left they will be attending 6th form. The use of isolation serves no purpose and should be used in situations when the pupil is disruptive not when they have no planner. It is disgraceful that pupils will miss a day of learning because they have no timetable
The rules are bull