Education to review handling of disruptive pupils

EDUCATION has been asked to work on a series of recommendations aimed at improving how disruptive pupils are dealt with.

The Scrutiny Committee made 38 suggestions under 10 different topic areas after it reviewed the issue.

After more than two-and-half hours of wide-ranging debate this morning its report was unanimously accepted by the States.

Education has committed to reporting back by September to the committee on whether it accepts the recommendations and what action it will take.

They include reviewing special education and behavioural coordinator resources in island schools and producing guidelines for greater consistency across schools on how disruptive pupils are dealt with.

In debate concerns were raised that although exclusion figures were falling, there was a rise in the amount of 'cooling off periods' which did not get published.

Many members said there were deep-seated reasons why a pupil's behaviour reached a point when they were asked not to attend and those needed to be tackled from the word go to give children the best start in life.

Health and Social Services minister Hunter Adam referenced the work that health visitors and other professional did but said assessments about a family need to be passed on through to schools.

'How do we make sure that if there is a problem that has been highlighted at six months, it filters through?'.

Social Security member Deputy Andrew Le Lievre said the information in Scrutiny's report was disturbing and pupils who were excluded might come from families who were themselves 'socially' excluded.

'What we see in these statistics is not an insignificant part of our unemployment problem.

'I'm left wondering how many of these young people actually left school in a fit state for unemployment – how many would be classed as not in education, training or employment?'.

He said a vicious circle meant that like their parents before them, they too could become parents ill-equipped to enable their offspring to fit into the world.

Deputy John Gollop acknowledged that disenchanted young people would have a knock-on effect to the work the Home Department did.

Deputy Janine Le Sauvage suggested that parenting skills could be taught in schools.

Former Education minister Carol Steere said early intervention was key.

'I have witnessed first hand in a primary school the day-to-day difficulties staff face.

'A child in a reception class needed two members of staff just to keep them in school.'

She said Guernsey had families in its community that needed support and there were some very good organisations such as Home Start that the government could assist.