Advice and Guidance to Schools and Local Authorities on Managing Pupil Behaviour and Attendance

Advice and guidance to Schools and Local Authorities on managing pupil behaviour and attendance

Handling Signs of Disaffection

Advice and guidance to

Schools

and

Local Authorities

on

Managing Attendance and Behaviour: handling signs of disaffection

1.  There are many indicators of disaffection in school, from disruptive behaviour to unauthorised absence and persistent truancy. Early intervention by the school where there are signs of disaffection may prevent problems from worsening. Schools should regularly review the progress of pupils. In particular, they should carry out a check no later than the end of Year 9 to identify any pupils at risk of failure at school, in partnership with the Careers Service, Education Welfare Officers and other agencies.

Irregular attendance and truancy

2.  Children who do not attend school without authorisation are putting themselves at risk. Schools are the first to see deteriorating attendance and it is important that schools closely monitor absence so that any patterns of non-attendance are spotted – e.g. “skipping” individual lessons – and acted on. They should make every effort to tackle it and prevent it reaching the level at which the pupil is referred to the Education Welfare Service (EWS).

3.  In the case of parents wishing to withdraw their children from school during term-time for an extended period of travel, schools should respond sensitively but firmly. Schools can only grant such leave in exceptional circumstances.

4.  Governing Bodies, head teachers and senior managers have a particular role in considering a whole school approach to attendance and absence. They should also monitor attendance by ethnicity to ensure that there are no differences in attendance patterns between ethnic groups (especially any that might adversely affect their attainment) or indicate underlying tensions between pupils. Other helpful approaches are:

·  strong attendance ethos;

·  clear absence policies;

·  effective, non-bureaucratic systems to monitor attendance;

·  using attendance data and other information to improve school and pupil performance;

·  promote the importance and legal requirements of good attendance to pupils and their parents;

·  intervening early when a pupil’s absence gives cause for concern;

·  have support systems in place for vulnerable pupils;

·  reward and celebrate good and improved attendance; and

·  make best use of additional support for pupils and parents with greatest need.

First instance contact

5.  Parents have the primary responsibility to ensure that pupils of compulsory school age attend regularly. School administrative staff or volunteers should contact parents on any day a registered pupil of compulsory school age is absent without explanation, including in cases where the pupil skips lessons after registration. This makes clear to pupils and parents that unauthorised absence is taken seriously, and has improved attendance by up to 10% in some schools. In addition, it is vital that any unauthorised absence is addressed early on through discussion between a pupil and the teacher responsible for the pupil’s registration.

Getting Help and Support

6.  Schools have initial responsibility for addressing any absence problems for individual pupils but may request support from their local authority such as the Education Welfare Service. The “Fast Track to Prosecution” case management framework provides further advice on best practice in this area.

7.  LAs should provide advice and support to schools and, where appropriate, take action to secure a pupil’s attendance regardless of whether they live in the LAs area.

8.  The LA Behaviour Support Plan will indicate when schools should formally refer pupils to the EWS, which works with schools and families to resolve attendance issues. Some LAs draw up Service Agreements with schools showing what school staff and the EWS can expect of each other.

9.  Schools can access help and support to improve general behaviour and attendance from the EWS and the National Secondary Strategy Consultants (formerly Behaviour and Attendance Consultants). LA. In turn can get help and support from Assistant Regional Attendance Advisers. More information on the National Secondary and National Primary Strategies can be seen at xxxx.

Community-based action against truancy

10.  Schools, local authorities, police and other community groups can work together on truancy initiatives such as Truancy Sweeps. The police power to take truants found in public areas back to school or wherever specified by the LA has strengthened truancy prevention activities.

11.  The sweeps can be supported by:

·  leaflet campaigns for parents (useful where parents condone absence);

·  publicity in local shopping centres or on buses;

·  pupil pass schemes;

·  truancy hotlines; and

·  “truancy-free zone” posters in shops and information packs for retail staff.

12.  Information on conducting truancy sweeps is available in the guidance jointly issued by the Department for Education and Skills and the Home Office.

Managing disruptive behaviour

13.  Schools need effective and well-understood arrangements to support teachers and other staff dealing with pupils who cause difficulties. These should be set out in the school’s behaviour policy.

Working with parents

14.  Generally staff should involve the parents of pupils with problems early so they can agree action together. A written action plan, agreed by school staff, parents and pupils makes clear to everyone what is expected.

Sanctions in school

15.  Sanctions should be applied fairly and consistently to all pupils, taking account of all circumstances including the child’s age, and within a context of positive re-inforcement of good behaviour. Sanctions might include:

·  removal from the group (in class);

·  withdrawal of break or lunchtime privileges;

·  detention (see Annex C);

·  withholding participation in any school trips or sports events that are not

·  an essential part of the curriculum;

·  withdrawal from, for example, a particular lesson or peer group;

·  completion of assigned work or extra written work; or

·  carrying out a useful task in the school.

16.  Punishments that are humiliating or degrading should not be used.

Exclusion from school

17.  Headteachers, teachers in charge of Pupil Referral Units, governing bodies and local authorities and Independent Appeal Panels have a legal duty to have regard to Improving Behaviour and Attendance: Guidance on Exclusion from School and Pupil Referral Units (revised March 2004) (DfES/0354/2004) when making decisions on exclusions and administering the exclusions procedure. This guidance applies to all maintained schools and Pupil Referral Units but does not apply to independent schools, city technology colleges and sixth form colleges. Academies must have exclusion procedures which are consistent with the guidance.

Learning support units

18.  In-school centres for pupils at risk of exclusion and disengagement can provide separate short term teaching and support programmes tailored to the needs of difficult pupils. They are school-based, though they might be shared between schools, particularly at primary level. They are a positive preventive strategy and should be portrayed as such, not as ’sin-bins’. As they are an expensive resource, in-school centres need careful management.

19.  There should be clear entry and exit criteria, including time limits of up to two terms on pupils’ attendance. Teachers and centre staff should liaise in setting and marking relevant academic work. However, the teacher in charge also needs to consult the senior management team in fixing the details of an appropriate curriculum.

20.  Placement can be full-time or part-time. Where possible, entry should be planned rather than by instant referral as a case arises, so that pupils feel part of a learning group.

21.  The main emphasis should be on enabling the pupil to manage in the mainstream classroom, and therefore relevant activities may include:

·  setting individual targets for improved learning and behaviour in each session;

·  anger management, social skills courses or individual counselling;

·  targeted support in acquiring skills in English; and

·  targeted literacy and numeracy work.

22.  In-school centres can help because:

·  disaffected pupils remain at school following broadly the same curriculum as their peers, while minimising the disruption they cause to their class;

·  later, phased, re-integration into mainstream classes can be better planned and managed;

·  schools’ pastoral responsibility for a pupil is not affected; and

·  they encourage a consistent approach to behaviour management and to academic work.

23.  Pupils’ behavioural and academic progress should be monitored during and after their time in the centre, possibly involving education welfare and educational psychology services. The ethnicity of pupils should also be monitored to ensure any issues around disproportionate referral of Black and minority ethnic pupils to centres can be properly addressed.

Mentoring

24.  Older pupils can sometimes support or offer a role-model for pupils who need help and guidance, particularly after poor behaviour or in cases where they risk failure at school because of bullying by others. Non-teaching assistants, teachers and volunteer mentors from the business and wider community can also be supportive adults for children at risk.

25.  Learning Mentors are non-teaching school support staff who help individual pupils reduce their barriers to learning and help pupils improve their attainment and self-confidence. They liaise closely with teachers and other support professionals, and act as a supportive link between the family and school. Multi agency networking and liaison is also a key feature of effective learning mentor activity. Further information can be found at www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/learningmentors.

Pupil Referral Units and Alternative Provision

26.  Some young children will benefit from spending time in a pupil referral unit, alternative provision or alternative curricula. School and local authorities must have regard to the DfES Guidance when arranging provision for those children and young people who need it. “Guidance to LEAs. PRUs and Alternative Provision" (DfES, 2005) can be viewed at http://publications.teachernet.gov.uk/.

Behaviour that needs sensitive handling

Dealing with incidents involving drugs or other harmful substances

27.  Schools need to have strategies to make clear that drug-taking will not be condoned. They should have anti-drugs policies which reflect the interests of the whole school community. The local Drug Action Team can offer schools advice on handling incidents, on criminal offences committed within the school, and on helping to support pupils involved in drug-related incidents. Good liaison with the police should ensure that criminal incidents are handled appropriately.

Dealing with bullying

28.  The emotional distress caused by bullying in whatever form – be it racial, or as a result of a child’s appearance, behaviour or special educational needs, or related to sexual orientation – can prejudice school achievement, lead to lateness or truancy and, in extreme cases, end with suicide. A third of girls and a quarter of boys are at some time afraid of going to school because of bullying. Bullying is usually part of a pattern of behaviour rather than an isolated incident. Pupils should be encouraged to report any bullying to staff or to older pupils they can trust. Low report rates should not of themselves be taken as proof that bullying is not occurring. More information is available in “Bullying: Don’t suffer in silence. An anti-bullying pack for schools”.

29.  Head teachers have a legal duty to take measures to prevent all forms of bullying among pupils. All teaching and non-teaching staff, including lunchtime supervisors, should be alert to signs of bullying and act promptly and firmly. Pupils may see failure to respond to incidents or allegations as tolerating bullying. As bullying tends to occur during break time, schools will wish to ensure they have strategies covering play and break time, and all relevant staff receive appropriate training.

Dealing with racist incidents and sexual harassment

30.  As with bullying, schools’ behaviour policies need to cover racial and sexual harassment. Racist incidents and racial harassment do not happen only in schools with large minority ethnic populations. The incidents and harassment can take a number of forms including:

·  name calling;

·  use of poor and unacceptable terminology;

·  bullying; and

·  physical abuse.

31.  Further information on those groups who might fall victim to racist incidents and racial harassment is available in http://www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/ethnicminorities/.

32.  All schools’ behaviour policies must make clear that racist incidents and racial harassment will not be tolerated and say how staff and pupils should deal with them. Schools should ensure that their behaviour policies and their racial equality policies take a consistent approach. Schools should be aware that a pupil’s faith or religious identity may be used in an attempt to disguise the racist nature of an incident or of bullying. The school should record all racist incidents, and parents and governors should be informed of such incidents and the action taken to deal with them. Governing Bodies should inform LAs annually of the pattern and frequency of any incidents. Pupils who have suffered racial harassment, at or outside school, may need support

33.  Sexual harassment is most often carried out by boys against girls. Personal Social and Health Education can help to foster appropriate and responsible sexual behaviour and deter offensive behaviour.

Preventing criminal behaviour

34.  Although many factors outside school put young people at risk of offending, schools can contribute to averting crime by tackling educational difficulties and helping to keep young people in school. Truants and excluded pupils are at greater risk of being drawn into criminal activities. That is why schools are part of the crime and disorder strategies which local councils have drawn up for their areas.

35.  In some areas, schools have encouraged young people to take part in youth action groups formed under the Youth Action Initiative, operated by Crime Concern. These activities promote pupil participation and contribute to community-based efforts to reduce youth crime and anti-social behaviour. Close co-operation with the local police through police-school liaison initiatives can also be a constructive way to reduce anti-social behaviour and prevent offending.

36.  Schools should always advise the police of any criminal activity. Cautioning for juveniles is being replaced by a final warning scheme. Where a final warning is given this will always be followed by an assessment undertaken by the local youth offending team. In most cases a rehabilitation programme will be drawn up to tackle the causes of the offending behaviour. Schools may find that, in many cases, this constructive response to youth crime can prevent further offending and will avoid the need for exclusion.