OnTheWight always welcomes a Letter to the Editor to share with our readers – unsurprisingly they don’t always reflect the views of this publication. If you have something you’d like to share, get in touch and of course, your considered comments are welcome below.
This from Peter Shreeve, Assistant District Secretary, Isle of Wight National Education Union. Ed
On Sunday I read the DfE press release ‘Government to crackdown on bad behaviour and boost attendance’.
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said,
”I am calling on parents, schools and families to join us in playing their part to get children in class and ready to learn for the start of the new school term.”
“We know what works”, she said. Her news interviews left me underwhelmed.
“The same stale ideas and spin”
It gave one freelance education journalist “the sense of another school year opening with the same stale ideas and spin”.
It is self-evident that more support is needed and ideas and expertise are best shared between schools. How will this happen?
New hubs receiving less than the old schemes it replaces
Government has named the first 21 out of 90 behaviour and attendance hubs, along with two new national ‘behaviour and attendance ambassadors’.
Support is always welcome. But the reality is that new hubs are receiving £1.5 million – rather less than the old schemes it replaces.
Local alternatives – the Isle of Wight Family Information Hub and Mental Health Support Team in Schools offer behaviour and wellbeing support. They will likely remain overstretched.
Students are more than just a national statistic
GCSE results show GCSE expectations are a stretch for many students. For some, a link between overwhelming exam content and endless high stakes testing, failing to motivate. We want to inspire and engage students in their learning.
Thus, we need a better understanding of what they can do and have achieved.
Students are more than just a national statistic. If we want to grow positive behaviour and attendance, it’s obvious we must fully support and build evidence-based solutions.
