SecEd The ONLY weekly voice for secondary education Inside this issue


Teachers Anonymous


One in 10 new teachers abandons the profession in their first year. We look at why this is and what we can do to tackle the problem Pages 8 and 9


Social media use must by Daniel White


National guidance is needed to help teachers who may use social media with students, a legal safeguarding expert has said. It comes after news that in 2011


Charles Dickens


Next week sees the 200th anniversary of the birth of Charles Dickens. We look at his legacy and how schools might mark the occasion Page 15


Focus on SEN


SecEd reports from Westminster as the coalition's proposals for changes to SEN policy are put under the spotlight Page 6


SecEdonline


For regular news updates and our full editorial archive, visit www.sec-ed.co.uk. You can also sign up to receive SecEddigital, a virtual edition of SecEd, by emailing editor@ sec-ed.co.uk and we can be found on Twitter at www. twitter.com/SecEd_Education


the General Teaching Council for England (GTCE) heard 43 cases directly linked to teachers’ use of sites such as Facebook and Twitter or online chatrooms and email with students. Safeguarding expert Dai


Durbridge told SecEd that national guidance should be introduced by the Department for Education so the “grey areas” that exist when it comes to teachers’ use of social media and email with students can be clarified. He added that guid- ance would help teachers to know how to react in certain difficult situations. Currently it is left to the discre-


tion of individual schools to decide the extent to which they make staff aware of issues surrounding social media use and Mr Durbridge says this has led to an inconsistent approach across the country. Mr Durbridge, a specialist in


safeguarding issues with education law firm Browne Jacobson, added: “There is evidence of big differenc- es among schools in their approach to the use of social media. Some ban teachers from using the sites altogether, some allow restricted usage and others have barely con- sidered the issue. There is no con- sistency between schools and this creates a grey area.” In some schools, teachers are


allowed to “friend” or connect with their students on social media, but some ban this completely. Mr Durbridge believes this also blurs the lines and can leave teachers unsure as to what is acceptable. The issue has hit the headlines


after revelations that more than one in 10 of the GTCE hearings featur- ing charges of unacceptable profes- sional conduct in 2011 (43 out of 336) were related to teachers using social media and email with pupils. Mr Durbridge said that as well


as clearer guidance, teachers must also be advised and educated about


privacy issues surrounding the use of sites like Facebook. “There is no compulsory edu-


cation about what is right for the teachers with regards to Facebook and how they can adjust their pri- vacy settings,” he continued. “It clearly needs to be looked


at, not only from a ‘friending’ point of view, but also to consider issues like appropriate privacy settings and profile pictures which – regard- less of ‘friending’ – can often be accessed by pupils, parents and colleagues alike. “Teachers can get tagged in pic-


tures at events like stag-dos and if a student sees that then it can weaken the respect for the teacher and the authority they have in the classroom. The government needs to provide a piece of national guid- ance in order to protect the profes- sion and so teachers can look at what to do in certain situations.” Although Mr Durbridge said


Facebook was the social media site that caused the most problems for teachers, Twitter is also becoming an issue. He added: “Teachers need to be careful what they do on Twitter


Issue 307 • February 2 2012 Price £1.00 www.sec-ed.com


be clarified, expert says Call for national guidance after more than one in 10 GTCE misconduct cases feature social media or email


because you don’t necessarily have to accept (a student’s) invitation for them to be able to follow you. People can see you on Twitter and your comments to different peo- ple or just in general without you knowing. Teachers need to be care- ful and made aware of the dangers.” Mike Griffiths, headteacher at


Northampton School for Boys, agreed that social media use is a “major issue” for schools. He told SecEd: “It is a big prob-


lem and it is going to get worse before it gets better. A 25-year-old teacher has been brought up (using social media) and it is second nature to them. They sometimes cannot see that it may become a problem.” Mr Griffiths said it was “very


unwise” for teachers to start “friend- ing” students on social media sites. He added: “Every school is different and any young teacher should make sure they know what their school’s approach is on the Acceptable Use Policy and what they should and should not do.” Julian Stanley, chief executive


of the Teacher Support Network, echoed this advice: “We would always recommend that teachers refer to their school’s procedures, policies as well as approved guid- ance on social media matters. The risk of emotional distress and har- assment for a teacher is as strong online as it is offline, so it is vital that they take great care.” Although the government itself


does not currently offer advice to teachers, Facebook does pub- lish guidance for educators at www.facebookforeducators.org


EOFFER XTENDED


HALF PRICEMEMBERSHIP *Off er starts 01.01.12. Other terms and conditions apply. Business Manager/Senior Staff £12.00* | Assistant Head/Assistant Principal £13.00* | Deputy Head/Vice Principal £15.60* | Head/Principal £17.50* More details at www.ascl.org.uk/off ers UK news n SecEd: On Your Side n Psycho babble n NQT diary n Union address n Managing ICT n At the chalkface


TO29 FEB


2012


UAVEP TO


S £175 WITH HALF PRICE MEMBERSHIP


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16