IT IS a commonplace of human nature that each generation will complain about the behaviour of the next. But educationists are agreed that reports of disorder, and even violence, in our schools point to a real and worsening problem.

In its recent annual report, Ofsted singled out behaviour as an issue of concern; only one in three secondary schools upheld acceptable standards of behaviour — fewer than five years ago — and “low level disruption” was an endemic problem.

Now Ruth Kelly, the Education Secretary, has launched a “zero tolerance” approach to poor discipline in schools. But what does this mean for parents? And will her plans really help to improve behaviour in our children’s classrooms?

Ralph Surman has taught in Bulwell, Nottingham, for 18 years, and has no doubt that discipline in classrooms has worsened during his career.

He says: “There have been attacks on teachers in schools where I have worked, But more often, we’re talking about a few children who lack any of the basic skills that would enable them to interact successfully, and who cause constant disruption — noise, backchat — in class, which stops others learning. It becomes very frustrating.

“We have to accept that a classroom of 30 is not always the best place for these very difficult children. ‘Zero tolerance’ will be meaningful only if the Government is prepared to provide funding for extra staff, so that we can send these children out of mainstream classes and into smaller nurture groups for part of the day. So far there has been a welcome discussion, but I will reserve judgment until I see some action.”

A task force set up to address the problem of school discipline, led by “superhead” Sir Alan Steer, is due to report next month. The task force will consider banning mobiles in schools, drawing up a national code of conduct for pupils, and revising the exclusion appeals process, which some teachers say has been too lenient in allowing parents to get their excluded child reinstated in school. Kelly has said she will allow headteachers greater power to remove disruptive pupils from mainstream classes.

At the heart of the changes Kelly proposes is a redrawing of the relationship between parents and schools, and consider-able onus is on parents to help to bring about a change. Parents, she told a conference in February, “must not automatically assume, when their child is punished, that their child must be in the right and the school in the wrong”.

Sean Neil, an education expert and discipline specialist at the University of Warwick, says: “Part of our culture of diminishing respect for authority has been a diminution in respect for schools and teachers.

“But there is little the school can do without parents to get good behaviour in classes. The biggest part of what the Government is saying to parents is ‘support your school on discipline’.”

The schools White Paper due in next month is expected to outline schemes that will see parents take a bigger hand in upholding school discipline. Parents can also expect a renewed drive to issue parenting orders to those whose children persistently misbehave; such orders can result in a fine, and the requirement to attend parenting lessons.

So, while parents of difficult children may find themselves more accountable, what about those parents now who are worried that their child’s education is being ruined by disorder in classrooms?

“This is a long-term problem,” Neil says, “taking your child to another school is the only practical solution if the problem is severe, even if some might think it is not morally defensible. If parents want to know how orderly classrooms are at a school, one of the best ways is to ask children there before sending your child.”

CASE STUDY

PAT NANCOLLIS, head teacher at Victoria Road School in Norwich, turned a severe discipline problem around by focusing on the children’s emotional state: “Victoria Road is in one of the Government’s areas of multiple deprivation. When I arrived, there was a real problem with disruption, angry outbursts in class and an ‘us against them’ mentality among older pupils.

“The staff and I based our strategy on the idea that bad behaviour is a child’s way of telling you that something is wrong. We set about creating a nurturing environment, and worked hard on praise. For example, we started to give out pebbles for good behaviour. Once a class had collected enough pebbles, they got a treat.

“We introduced a ‘happiness chart’ so that children could rate their mood at the start of each day. If a child reported being very unhappy, a teacher might pop home at lunchtime to talk to parents. Once we know what is wrong, we can help to stop that problem manifesting itself in bad behaviour. We introduced ‘feelings areas’ where a disruptive child could be sent to calm down, and tried to focus on good behaviour even in difficult classrooms.

“Now the school is a happier, calmer place, where children really are learning. I’m certain that a focus on emotional wellbeing is key to the behaviour problem.”

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