EDUCATION bosses in Glasgow today unveiled new measures aimed at cutting the number of problem pupils in city schools.
EDUCATION bosses in Glasgow today unveiled new measures aimed at cutting the number of problem pupils in city schools.
How one school cut exclusions by over 2000Head teacher John Reilly has managed to slash the number of exclusions from St Mungo's Academy in Glasgow by more than 2000 in two years. He took charge of the East End secondary in August 2005, when the number of times pupils were ordered off school premises was running at 2476 in a year. Thanks to a wide range of measures introduced since then, the number of exclusions is now just 430. Mr Reilly says the majority of his 750 pupils are well behaved but, like every other school in the city, there are a minority who are disruptive. He said: "We have a number of strategies in place which the young people have responded to." One is a behaviour management system aimed at pupils with low levels of misbehaviour. Mr Reilly explained: "If a child is not settling, or is preventing a teacher from doing their job, they will be referred to behaviour management, which is manned by another member of staff. "The pupil has work to do, but we also look at his or her behaviour and the reasons why they are out of class. "This approach is to defuse the situation and let the pupil see the error of their ways and go back to a normal timetable. It works quite well. "We also operate a learning zone, which is for young people with more serious issues. "They might be in the learning zone every afternoon for three or four days or for a full week. They work with another member of staff trained in behaviour management issues." The final resource is called restorative practices, which involves trained counsellors coming into the school one day a week. Mr Reilly said: "If, for example, pupils have fallen out, staff work with them to make sure they get back a tolerance and respect of each other, so they can go back to their lessons without a repeat of the falling out. "If there is a punch-up in the playground, we deal with the incident and the cause through restorative practices to minimise the chances of it happening again." St Mungo's also operates a "Stay In Colour" scheme, which recognises period by period when pupils have behaved well and rewards them for their conduct. A list of well behaved pupils is posted in the school each week and Mr Reilly says this helps them realise they are responsible for their own behaviour. Those who behave can take part in a wide range of activities, run by the school, including a trip to Alton Towers and coaching by Rangers and Celtic. Since he took over, the number of pupils gaining five or more Standard Grades or Highers at higher levels have soared. |
Up to 10 new units will be set up to give pupils and their families help and advice from a wide range of professionals.
There will also be "chill-out rooms" in every primary and secondary, where disruptive pupils will be sent and confronted with their actions.
Although they sound like the naughty step' from TV's Supernanny Jo Frost, education director Margaret Doran insists they are not being seen as sin bins'.
And the curriculum in every school will be checked to ensure there are enough vocational courses for less academic children.
The initiative was revealed as Scottish Government figures showed the city had more unruly children last year than anywhere else in the country.
Pupils in Glasgow were excluded - suspended from lessons or expelled from school - on 7539 occasions last year. This was up 11% on the previous year.
That compared to 1943 exclusions in Edinburgh.
Across Scotland, 13% of the 22,800 different pupils excluded were from primary schools, 84% from secondaries and 3% from special schools.
The most common reason for ordering a child out of school involved general or persistent disobedience, with the other main factors being verbal abuse of staff, insolent and offensive behaviour, assault and fighting.
In Glasgow, 140 children were permanently removed from their school, against 48 in Edinburgh.
But Glasgow City Council education spokesman Gordon Matheson said that, despite the figures, the city's children are the best in Scotland.
However, he said Glasgow had a "disproportionate number of social challenges that feed through to the exclusion figures".
These include the high number of children living in families where there is a drug or alcohol problem.
Mr Matheson said: "Glasgow aims to reduce the number of exclusions from schools and we want as high a percentage as possible of our pupils engaged in our classrooms. We have measures in place to do that.
"Over the next three years we will establish a base in all our secondaries that will provide a chance for pupils who are misbehaving to go to where they can cool off.
"They will have the chance to have some counselling, will be challenged about their behaviour and given the opportunity to reflect on their attitude.
"They will also have the chance, on a temporary basis, to learn within a small group of young people."
Mr Matheson said 10 units would be set up across the city - five for primary pupils and five for secondary - who prove too difficult for schools to handle.
He added: "Youngsters who are not performing well in class and are demonstrating challenging behaviour will be offered the intensive support needed so they can get back on track and get back into class.
"They will get support from specialist teachers, social workers, educational psychologists and a range of other professionals who can support the individual child and their families, because an unruly child is likely to have problems at home.
"These issues could be drug or alcohol addiction, the pressure of debt or the breakdown of a relationship. So it is necessary to offer support to the pupil and to the family.
"What we need to do is address the issue at source, rather than exclude a difficult pupil, who will simply be moved to another school.
"I am confident these new centres will cut the number of exclusions and that they will help raise attainment levels. A disruptive child is not learning and makes it more difficult for the rest of the class to get on with their studies.
"These centres will not be a permanent alternative and the aim will be to return the child as quickly as possible to the classroom."
Mr Matheson said the first two units would be open by the summer.
He added: "We are also reviewing subjects we offer pupils because it may be an enhanced vocational programme, rather than an academic one, is more appropriate for some."
Despite his belief the moves will cut the number of children forced out of the classroom, Mr Matheson believes there will always be those who have to be excluded.
He said: "The safety of pupils and staff is the most important thing, so there will be occasions when exclusions will remain necessary."
