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NEWS

Government welcomes Union’s gangs toolkit

The NASUWT is urging schools to use the powers they have and the range of support that is now available to address the issue of gangs. The NASUWT launched a new Gangs and Schools Toolkit at its Annual Conference last month which is designed to assist those working with children and young people in taking practical steps to assess and tackle the level of gang prevalence within their student bodies.

The Toolkit is a follow-up to the groundbreaking Gangs and Schools research published last year by the Union which confirmed that gangs and gang culture has a profound impact on the minority of young people and schools that are affected. The NASUWT was invited to speak about its work on gangs at a Government conference in March on tackling youth violence. Schools Minister Vernon Coaker launched new guidance for schools on how to spot the signs that students may be involved in or at risk of becoming involved with gang activity. The guidance outlines what action professionals should take if they feel a child is at risk, including referrals to social workers, police or charities and further advice on supporting the whole family to prevent young people getting involved in a gang.

The guidance was released to coincide with the launch of Count Me In, a Government campaign to reduce knife crime among young people. Schools are being urged to support the campaign by using a new resource pack to deliver lessons and assemblies on the consequences of carrying knives and other weapons. The campaign builds on the powers introduced by the Government in the last few years, including the power for schools to search pupils for weapons and measures to tackle bullying and assault.

While the NASUWT is clear that the majority of schools are havens of safety and security for young people, pupils cannot learn effectively where there is violence, disruptive behaviour and bullying. Chris Keates, NASUWT General Secretary, said: “While the guidance is to be welcomed, we must also work to create the conditions in which all schools are willing to engage in measures to tackle gangs and other forms of youth violence. “The reality is that gang cultures have their roots outside the school gates and it is important that schools are alive to rivalries that might exist between young people based on such factors as postcodes or ethnic or religious identities and work with other local agencies to monitor and tackle these problems.

“The job of tackling gang cultures and youth violence cannot be left to schools alone. The whole community needs to face up to the realities of gangs and youth violence and work together to address the impact of these behaviours on the lives of young people.“

The Government guidance is available at www.publications.everychildmatters.gov.uk and the Count Me In resource pack, which includes lesson guides, case studies and online learning aids, is available at www.teachernet.gov.uk/countmein. Copies of the Toolkit and the Gangs and Schools research are available on the NASUWT website at www.nasuwt.org.uk/KeepingEveryChildSafe.

More legal safeguards for school trips needed

The NASUWT is continuing to work with the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) to further improve the protection and support for schools and staff when organising trips and activities.

The Union recently pressed this point as it gave evidence to the Children, Schools and Families Committee on Learning Outside the Classroom. The DCSF is updating its guidance for schools on keeping pupils safe when learning outside the classroom and the NASUWT is pressing for more detailed advice to be developed to assist schools.

In particular, the Union is calling for a compulsory duty on employers to take out liability insurance to cover schools and 14 Teaching Today May 2010 staff against the risk of prosecution if a student dies or is injured during an activity or visit.

The Union is pressing for the guidance to make clear that schools must take steps to safeguard staff against legal challenge if an accident does occur. The finalised guidance is expected to be published later this year. The NASUWT has been working closely with the Government and other stakeholders to review the support given to schools in planning and undertaking learning outside the classroom. As part of this work, a Quality Badge Scheme has been created which accredits organisations which provide high-quality and risk- assessed educational activities.

The Badge aims to reduce the bureaucracy of organising school trips and visits for teachers and school staff. By choosing to use organisations that hold the accreditation, schools can have greater confidence that off-site activities will be safely managed and provide educational benefits for pupils. For more details about the advice and support available to schools on Learning Outside the Classroom visit www.lotc.org.uk. Search online for a Quality Badge holder at www.lotcquality badge.org.uk. For more information on the NASUWT advice go to www.nasuwt.org.uk/SchoolTrips.

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