NewS
Scots want disruptive students
taught outside the mainstream
by Sam Phipps
respondents also said headteachers teaching without the distraction scheme, as they admit it would groups who would get one-on-one “This would be very costly. It
should decide whether to expel or of a few badly behaved pupils. be too expensive to start the new attention or special attention so they may be you spend money to save
suspend disruptive children, while But unruly pupils need a second system nationally. They point to can develop skills”. money, because if these pupils are
Most Scots believe it would be better only 18 per cent thought it should chance to refocus their lives,” Ms successful trials of similar schemes But she said: “They will need not brought back into the main-
to educate persistently disruptive be down to councils. Smith said. in the USA and England, and argue to find the money to do all that. stream they could end up being a
pupils outside the mainstream, Elizabeth Smith, the party’s Only 10 per cent of respondents that the investment would be worth- We would not be happy if they financial burden on society,” he
according to a recent poll. education spokeswoman, said the wanted such children “kept in the while in the long term if pupils were going to take that money from said.
The YouGov poll, commis- results vindicated her proposal same classroom as well behaved avoided a life of crime. somewhere else.” A Scottish government spokes-
sioned by the Conservative Party, for “second chance centres”. The children but with an extra member Unions have been supportive in Ken Cunningham, general sec- man said: “We are determined to
found that 70 per cent of adults Conservatives were due to outline of staff”, the poll found. Another principle, but are concerned about retary of School Leaders Scotland, support headteachers in their efforts
were in favour of educating such details of the scheme at an educa- 11 per cent said they should be cost and staffing. Anne Ballinger, the association for secondary to improve discipline. That’s why
children separately, with their own tion conference this week. sent home, with 10 per cent saying general secretary of the Scottish headteachers, agreed that it could alternatives to mainstream educa-
members of staff, until they showed “I want well behaved pupils they did not agree with any of the Secondary Teachers’ Association, be a positive step, but only if pupils tion, including residential schools,
that they could behave. to be able to get on with learn- options, or did not know. welcomed the idea if it meant were re-introduced to the main- for pupils whose behaviour is per-
Three quarters of the 1,183 ing, and teachers to get on with The Conservatives want a pilot “proper structured support for small stream. sistently disruptive already exist.”
New academies
Parents
funding move
warned
over exam
comes under fire
changes
The announcement that private number of universities, schools and Parents in Northern Ireland
companies wishing to sponsor colleges coming in – so it makes choosing a secondary school for
academies will no longer need to sense to do the same for the volun- their children are being reminded
stump up £2 million to do so has tary and private sector.” that the majority of post-primaries
been labelled an “act of desperation” However, Christine Blower, gen- will snub new 11-plus tests.
by a leading union. eral secretary of the National Union There is no longer a state-spon-
The Department for Children, of Teachers, said: “It’s a sign of sored 11-plus, and the North’s edu-
Schools and Families revealed on desperation in terms of the number cation minister, Caitriona Ruane, is
Monday (September 7) that there will of sponsors who are prepared to asking that all secondary schools
no longer be a financial requirement be involved in running schools – operate non-academic admissions
for voluntary or private sector com- £2 million just isn’t there for the criteria only. Grammar schools,
panies wishing to sponsor schools taking in these lean times.” however, are to defy the minister
opening from September 2011. She added: “The (government) by staging their own tests.
Ministers also confirmed that its requirement of interested compa- In a leaflet issued to parents, Ms
target of opening 200 academies, nies simply having to prove they Ruane’s department now admits that
which are state schools operating have the ‘necessary skills and lead- without sitting an entrance exam
outside of local government con- ership’ to run an academy really “like the 11-plus”, children are
trol, had been achieved one year does not stand up to scrutiny. unlikely to gain a grammar place.
ahead of schedule. “One of the latest academies to Before the summer break, the
Education minister, Ed Balls, open is being sponsored by Aston minister made a statement to the
said: “Academies are now moving Villa Football Club. I defy any- Northern Ireland Assembly in
into a new phase. We’re ahead of one to suggest that a football club which she detailed her own transfer
schedule with no shortage of spon- can know more about the running proposals.
sors coming forward, but it’s right of schools than a local education She recommended all schools
the programme continues to evolve. authority.” use as their first criterion a measure
“Academy sponsorship has Chris Keates, general secre- that will ensure children entitled to
never just been about the money tary of NASUWT, said Mr Balls’ free meals gain admissions at the
– we want the people and organisa- announcements were “no cause same rate as all other applicants.
tions with the right skills and lead- for celebration”, adding that there Free meals are usually provided
ership to come into the academy was no evidence to demonstrate to children whose parents receive
programme. that academies performed any bet- Don’t show me the money: Prime minister Gordon Brown and education minister Ed Balls benefits, or whose family income is
“Scrapping the £2 million spon- ter or worse than the generality of unveiled plans to scrap the financial requirement for academy sponsors during a visit to less than £15,000.
sorship has led to a boom in the schools. City Academy in Hackney, London, which opened on Monday (September 7) Other non-academic criteria,
such as applicants who have a sib-
Swine flu still a cause for concern
Scottish government
ling currently attending a school, or
those from a feeder primary school,
should also be used.
She further argued that testing
As the autumn term gets into its about the virus, explaining for have died from meningitis after
defends spending
children at 10 or 11 was “totally
wrong”.
stride, the threat of swine flu is instance that it spreads in the incorrectly being diagnosed with In the latest guidance issued
still uppermost in the minds of same way as seasonal flu, mainly swine flu. to parents, the Department of
teachers and parents. through coughing and sneez- Steve Dayman, chief execu- The Scottish government has hit wouldn’t expect every probation- Education advises that most post-pri-
Experts have predicted that ing, and that the vast majority of tive of charity Meningitis UK, back at Labour claims that it has er to have a job at the start of mary schools will not be using new
up to 30 per cent of children in children, even those with severe said: “Meningitis and septicaemia spent more than £60 million on the school term as vacancies arise entrance tests. There are 150 schools
the UK may contract swine flu influenza, make a “full and com- can be hard to recognise in the training teachers who are unable to throughout the year.” classed as secondary (non-gram-
by the end of the year. As parents plete recovery”. early stages because the initial find a permanent job. She also cited a General Teaching mar) in the North that will be snub-
and schools across the country Asked what can be done to symptoms are similar to many A survey last month showed Council for Scotland survey from bing tests, compared to 68 grammar
request clear, concise informa- prevent the infection, Professor mild childhood diseases. that just one in seven NQTs had April, which showed 89 per cent schools that will be staging exams.
tion about the virus, Professor Stephenson advises covering “A child with bacterial secured a permanent post by the of post-probationer teachers were A Department of Education
Terence Stephenson, president of noses and mouths when coughing meningitis or septicaemia will start of this school year, which employed in a teaching role. spokesman said its Transfer 2010
the Royal College of Paediatrics or sneezing, disposing of dirty usually get ill quickly and get Labour said translated into a £60 “Recruitment does pick up with policy set out proposed admissions
and Child Health in the UK, has tissues promptly and carefully, worse fast, so parents should million waste. the re-opening of schools, as local criteria that do not require testing
written a book giving simple tips washing hands frequently (10 check them often because men- Labour education spokeswom- authorities make adjustments to of children.
to help youngsters avoid contract- times a day) with soap and water, ingitis can kill in under four an, Rhona Brankin, said: “In two their staffing requirements,” she He said: “If schools receive fewer
ing swine flu. washing cleaning surfaces which hours.” years, they have cut 1,000 teaching added. applications than there are places
Swine Flu – What Parents are regularly touched, and avoid- Swine Flu – What Parents posts. That is unacceptable. It is “This was evident in August last available, all children will be admit-
Need to Know includes ing people with obvious symp- Need to Know by Professor a huge waste of talent. It is heart- year when there was a sharp rise in ted. If there are more applications
everything from symptoms and toms. Terence Stephenson is published breaking for those young teachers.” vacancies, with around 300 posts then the school must apply admis-
treatments to the lessons that Meanwhile, parents are also by Jessica Kingsley Publishers, However, the Scottish govern- advertised.” sions criteria. It is recommended
have been learned from past being warned not to mistake men- priced £7.99. ment said this was a “gross misrep- It was also misleading to focus that all post-primary schools use
pandemics. ingitis for swine flu. Both illnesses SecEd readers can purchase the resentation of the facts”, because solely on permanent full-time posi- their admissions criteria to make
It also answers a range of begin with flu-like symptoms, and book for £6.99 via www.jkp.com, not all probationers could expect to tions, as local authorities required sure that they admit a fair number
frequently asked questions at least two people are known to using the code secedswineflu09. get a job by the start of term. teachers for various situations and of children who are registered as
A spokeswoman said: “We roles, the spokeswoman claimed. entitled to free school meals.”
 SecEd • September 10 2009
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