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SecEd: On Your Side
Partnerships have to
be the way forward
The headline news this
week was the unveiling of
Pete
Sir alan Steer’s report into
Henshaw
tackling bad behaviour.
Editor,
his findings have claimed
SecEd
that a failure to identify Sen
early enough can cause poor behaviour later on. he also
recommends that schools should form closer working
relationships with their local police officers through
Behaviour and attendance Partnerships, which are now set
to become a legal requirement through the apprenticeships,
Skills, Children and learning Bill, published this week.
it is nice to sit writing this weekly editorial with a
positive view of a government initiative for once. i don’t
think anyone can argue against schools being supported to
work closely with police – indeed many already do to great
effect. and the earlier identification of Sen can only be
a good thing, again if the support is there to facilitate this
challenging proposal.
For too long, schools have been left alone to fight
the battle against behaviour, with the government sitting
Money matters
at arm’s length telling the public that schools have vast
powers of exclusion, when in reality the pressure is such
that heads feel they cannot exclude, and teachers are left
fighting a losing battle against poor behaviour.
ed BallS, minister for children, a substantial disincentive. Schools
schools and families, warned last
The only way forward to help the minority of pupils
While the government was
do well to run as many trips as
week that schools needed to take they do.”
who are badly behaved is partnership working, with the
more account of tighter family
slamming schools this week for not
he continued: “i am opposed to
police and other organisations. This approach works. You finances when drawing up uniform the new complaints procedure that
only need to look to Tower hamlets in london, where a
policies.
doing enough to keep the cost of
the secretary of state proposes to put
partnership of this kind has seen permanent exclusions drop
he also expressed concern that
schools were “unlawfully” seek-
education down for parents, others
into the 2009 education Bill. Parents
already have avenues through which
by 26 per cent.
ing parental contributions for trips
early intervention, supporting children if they move
were congratulating them for helping to save
to complain, although they often do
that form part of the normal cur- not use them properly.”
schools, engaging primary schools and further education
riculum.
parents money. Chris Parr reports
SecEd editorial panellist and
– these are the areas when the police, working with
The Cost of Schooling 2007 deputy head Jo Smith, from long
professional educators, can play a crucial role. These are the
report looked at uniform, Pe kit, Field School in leicestershire, said
school trips, lunch, travel, station- “it is completely unaccept- “But i am extremely concerned she felt schools were looking at
partnerships that we need in place everywhere if we are to
ery, extra classes, and voluntary able for schools to levy compul- that parents still claim they have to ways to keep costs down, particu-
help poorly-behaved children to turn around. contributions. sory charges for activities, like day buy all or some of their uniforms larly regarding uniforms.
This is about prevention. For too long schools have been
it found that the average cost per trips, which are part of the school from more expensive sole suppliers She told SecEd: “We’ve had to
faced with the very difficult job of punishing children who
year for a child at secondary school curriculum, or for families to feel or the school itself.” look at a lot of our policies includ-
was £1,195, representing a four per pressured into making voluntary however, dr John dunford, ing uniform and charging in order
behave badly for all manner of reasons, and being damned
cent rise since 2003. contributions.” general secretary of the association to keep costs down for parents. Our
if they do and damned if they don’t.
it also showed that 80 per cent The department for Children, of School and College leaders, new uniform has been designed in
i greatly appreciate Sir alan Steer’s comments this week of parents were happy with school Schools and Families has published said that ministers should congratu- consultation with parents, students
that “the great majority of young people and the great
costs in 2007, compared to 90 per new guidance for heads on charging late schools for keeping the cost and governors and parents have
majority of schools maintain high standards of behaviour”.
cent in 2003, while 40 per cent policies, urging them to better pub- increase down to four per cent, not raised the issue of costs.
found it difficult to meet overall licise the financial support available criticise them. “We worked out that by having
his solutions do not mean that the problem is
schooling costs – an increase of to parents, and keep uniform and he said: “Regulations already a smart but fairly generic uniform
widespread and out of control, but acknowledge that some
13 per cent over the four-year trip costs to a minimum. exist to keep down the cost of style parents willing to shop at chain
schools do have a number of students who do need help. period. it has also said that new laws to uniforms and to rule out the use stores would need to spend less than
To quote his words: “Good schools work in close
Mr Balls said: “i am very improve the handling of parents’ of sole suppliers. Schools should £30 for a complete uniform includ-
partnership with parents reflecting the fact that the
concerned that some schools risk complaints about school pricing follow this and there is no need to ing the favoured black blazer.
putting extra pressure on family policies will be introduced, and reit- introduce yet more regulation. “We are in close contact with
upbringing of children is a responsibility shared by many.
finances, particularly in the present erated existing laws that forbid the “The government knows how our local school uniform supplier
“Partnership in education needs to be extended further. economic climate, simply because use of sole suppliers for required difficult it is for schools to put a in order to secure specific uniform
Schools working closely together can create far greater
they are not following the rules on items of uniform and Pe kit. charging policy into action fairly. pieces at a reasonable cost. as has
systems to support and enrich children’s lives than when
charging and school uniform. Mr Balls said: “it is right for Ministers want schools to increase always been the case though, hav-
they operate alone. Schools working in partnership with the
“The rules on charging are crys- individual schools to decide their the number of out-of-class visits but ing a uniform takes the pressure off
tal clear and no child should be school uniform policies, but we are they should recognise that having parents to buy their children a range
police service can deal better with community problems
disadvantaged or penalised because clear that this should be done in to ask for voluntary contributions of the latest gear to wear to school.
and better educate their pupils as responsible members of they cannot afford out-of-class consultation with the community, and carry out detailed and bureau- Ultimately, parents find it saves
society.”
activities. parents and pupils. cratic risk assessments add up to them money.” SecEd
also welcome is the focus on the links between some
Sen and poor behaviour. here again, Sir alan is promoting IN rESpONSE…
partnership working, with schools being urged to share
resources locally to help identify and support Sen. Last week, SecEd’s front page order in which schools in their not result in any unexpected delay above ceiling voids, and beneath
Of course, there are resource issues around all of these
reported on a call for schools area are rebuilt or refurbished to BSF projects.” floors. if it doesn’t have a
ideas. a number of unions rightly identified the fact that
with high levels of asbestos to through BSF on a range of criteria, method of detecting the hidden
be given priority for rebuilding including the state of the building Mr Lees: materials or attempt to find out
quite often, teachers and support staff need more support
and refurbishing under the and its suitability for teaching and “as with all too many official what it is, where it is, and what
in helping children with often complex needs, such as
Building Schools for the Future learning. answers and statements, the PfS condition it is in, then is it being
autism or emotional and behavioural difficulties. Sir alan’s (BSF) programme (Pressure a standard allowance is made response is frankly misleading. left in situ?
recommendations are very positive, but more training
builds to clear all asbestos from for unforeseen asbestos removal it says that ‘where asbestos is PfS says that because
and resources should be coming hand-in-hand with these
schools, SecEd, Thursday, in all demolished and remodelled detected in a school that is due to authorities are aware of the
February 5). buildings, and where its presence be rebuilt or refurbished as part of asbestos in the buildings and
proposals.
Comment from is known it will be registered in the BSF, it is important to ensure that take appropriate action then
also, the relationship between these new partnerships Partnerships for Schools (PfS), school’s asset Management Plan’s this is completely removed to avoid ‘this should not result in any
and Children’s Trusts should be clear, and the government
the organisation charged by condition assessments, which dangers to the health of students unexpected delay to BSF
has pledged to clarify this, promising “clear accountability”.
government to deliver BSF, was are key to the reprioritisation of and staff’. projects’.
While it is good that guidance for schools on these issues
not forthcoming in time for building work. The wording is perhaps correct The Jarvis statement to the
inclusion with the article and so Where asbestos is detected in that where asbestos is detected it Parliamentary Select Committee
is to be forthcoming from government, ultimately, i hope
is detailed below. We also asked a school that is due to be rebuilt is removed, however the problem on education and Skills
schools are left to lead their partnerships locally, responding campaigner Michael Lees, or refurbished as part of BSF, it is that unless you remove all the (regarding their BSF school
to local need and challenge. Guidance and advice is all well
who made the original call for is important to ensure that this walls, and column cladding and lift projects, June 2003) proves how
and good, but let’s set this into law and then step back, and
BSF to prioritise schools with is completely removed to avoid all the ceiling tiles to look inside wrong they are, for that states
asbestos, for his reaction to the dangers to the health of students the voids, it is unlikely you will that ‘much larger amounts of
let the professionals take control and make it happen. SecEd
comment. and staff. local authorities ‘detect’ the hidden asbestos. asbestos were found ... leading
should be aware of any buildings i would like to know what to delays and cost overruns’. i
• Contact Seced editor Pete Henshaw on 020 7501 6771,
Partnerships for Schools: which contain asbestos and take method PfS is using to detect would therefore disagree with
editor@sec-ed.co.uk or at www.sec-ed.co.uk
“local authorities prioritise the appropriate action, so this should hidden asbestos behind walls, the PfS statement.”
6 SecEd • February 12 2009
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