"Disciplinary Procedure" in Primary School

[Joanne UK]

Is there a disciplinary procedure re unruly pupils in Primary School which has to be adhered to does anybody know?

There is a boy in my daughter's Yr 1 class who is still 5 years old and has already been suspended twice. He just should not be allowed to have any contact with other children as he is a danger to them. Some of the things he has done include attempting to strangle another girl and stabbing a boy in the back with a sharp pencil which penetrated through his polo shirt and jumper and made his back bleed. He did this 3 times before the teacher was able to stop him. It's a good day if all he does is repeatedly kick and punch the other children.The teacher herself has expressed concern for the safety of the other children.

I realise that the boy has problems - there are 2 agencies involved helping the school, and the boy's parents are completely supportive of the school.

However, he is going to seriously hurt someone one day and I am obviously concerned for my daughter's safety. I have never known our HeadMaster suspend any pupil before and so am wondering if it's a case of so many suspension = and expulsion? Or what the procedure is - if there is one.

Would appreciate any teachers comments/advice.

Thank you.

 

[Rosie]

Hi Joanne
sorry to hear of this child's problems try looking here http://esi.essexcc.gov.uk/vip8/si/e...nnelOid=&guideOid=42436&guideContentOid=42483 as there is lots of information.

 

[wideeyes]

is his behavioural problems down to special needs?

if so inclusion policies mean that the school will most likely do what they can to keep him in the school, which sounds like what they are doing by working with the parents and other professionals. Its not so easy to expel children now as behavioural problems become more well known and better diagnosed. The child has a right to have access to the full circiculum the same as any other child and to be given the chance on being taught how to get along in life. It would be a shame to give up on the boy at 5 years old, does he have a one on one support teacher?

However its a tough one as other children also have the right be safe in school.

 

[Nix]

If it is behavioural problems, they'll probably wait for a proper assessment of his needs. He may just need a one on one teaching assistant to take his focus off the other children, or he may need to go to a specialist school. Either way it's good that his parents are supporting the school, and hopefully this will be resolved soon. My Mum works in a specialist school for children like this, so I know quite a bit about it purely through osmosis XD

 

[Joanne UK]

He has been assessed and he hasn't actually got anything wrong with him - he is just naughty.

Academically he is very behind, he still can't write his first name. I appreciate that he has got problems - he swears constantly and he says he gets it from his Dad. His parents are in the pub every afternoon when I walk past to collect my 2 from school and they are back there as soon as they have picked up their son.

However, I also feel that the School have a duty of care towards the other children in the class and his behaviour is a serious injury waiting to happen.

 

[natalielongstaff]

If you havnt done so already then requst a meeting with the head, this way there will be an official record of your concern/complaint that can be used to build a future case for having the child expelled.

Its a long process though and very difficult xx

 

[mandymouse]

I don't blame you for being worried Joanne. I think it's best to have a chat with the Head, then at least you can voice your concerns

 

[PoppyAnna]

Goodness, you have every right to be concerned about your child's safety regardless of the reason for this behaviour.

I agree with Mandy and Natalie, if I were you, I would definately be seeking a meeting with your Head.

Good luck to you

 

[joolz1910]

I had a very similar problem. I requested a meeting with the Head and said that I wanted the child to be kept away from my DD (he had been targeting her) and that I expected this to be rigorously enforced as they had a duty of care to my daughter.

I believe in inclusion and that 'every child matters' but it has to be done properly with strict guidelines, and with the welfare of all children in mind.

You definitely need a formal meeting with the Head. It might be that they have already involved outside agencies - if not, it is possible to contact them yourself to report your concerns.

Best of luck.

 

[Joanne UK]

Juliette - Did the Head do as you requested and keep your child away from the other boy? I don't think our head would do that - he's very much an embrace the naughty child type. Although saying that he is kept away from the other children alot because his main punishments seem to be missing playtimes and Golden time. As soon as he is allowed to mix again he gets physical.

He has hit my daughter 3 times - once was across the back with a hockey stick. Each time I complained to the teacher but, to be honest, he is alot worse with some of the others. My DD has learnt to keep away from him. It was the stabbing with the pencil incident that really set the alarm bells ringing with me because what if it had been a pair of scissors?

 

[higgy66]

Don't shoot me down for this .......

I'm all for inclusion of all children as far as can be possbile but I would be horrified if this was going on in my daughters class. What if that hockey stick had been across your daughters head? And like you say - what if that pencil had been scissors! These are not isolated incidents which is what makes the big difference here.

I think guidelines must be set and adhered to and the priority should be the safety of ALL the children. Teachers are too afraid now to use exclusion as this was abused in the past just to get "unruly" kids out of the classroom but I do think there are cases where this should be considered on a temporoary basis.

I wonder if this boy attended nursery prior to school or stayed at home and hasn't had chance to socialise - in which case he's doing this now but is a physically bigger child to be learning to share/play together etc - which lets face it all toddlers go through hitting and smacking with frustration until they learn what is acceptable.

In a perfect world this boy should be assigned a "helper" to be with him at all times until he has an understanding of what is and isn't acceptable. If his parents are in the pub all the time he obviously isn't getting this at home. My heart goes out to the boy but the other children deserve the best for them also.

 

[Trilli-magic]

I know all children have the right of an education and it is wrong to give up on a child at 5, but I think there is a real danger to the other children.
What if it was sissors?!! They shouldn't leave it until he hurts another child so bad they have to be hospitalised.
This boy def. needs help with his behaviour and the other children need to be protected.
I would go to the head too.

 

[wideeyes]

I am pro inclusion too and feel for the boy as I don't think a child as young as 5 is that naughty without there being an underlining issue however I think they should be appropriate measures in place to also ensure the safety of other children and if this is not in place at the moment then the boy should be kept away from other children until there is appropriate support in place. Its obvious that the boy should not just be left in the care of the normal year teacher, I would expect the boy to have a one-one support support with him though I know it can be hard to get the appropriate support until an official education needs assessment is done and the school can get the extra funding needed. SENCO & and The LEA can be a nightmare to deal with for getting things done at times.

 

[joolz1910]

Juliette - Did the Head do as you requested and keep your child away from the other boy? I don't think our head would do that - he's very much an embrace the naughty child type. Although saying that he is kept away from the other children alot because his main punishments seem to be missing playtimes and Golden time. As soon as he is allowed to mix again he gets physical.

He has hit my daughter 3 times - once was across the back with a hockey stick. Each time I complained to the teacher but, to be honest, he is alot worse with some of the others. My DD has learnt to keep away from him. It was the stabbing with the pencil incident that really set the alarm bells ringing with me because what if it had been a pair of scissors?

I made the complaint formal. I asked for an appointment to see the Head and used words like 'assault', 'child protection' and 'duty of care'. This child had been 'assigned' to my daughter as she is a caring type and she was suffering. One child had already moved classes and another had left the school because of this boy. I said that unless my daughter was protected from assault, I would make a formal complaint to the governors, the LEA and the branch of the Youth Offending Team dealing with Primary children.

The Head told me that outside agencies were involved with the boy and his family (I assumed she meant Social Services) and that he would be kept away from my daughter. She assured me that he was being closely monitored by teaching staff.

We live in an age of litigation and unfortunately that is the only language some people respond to. You must make a formal complaint, preferably in writing and (I know this sounds ridiculous) but you must use the words 'formal complaint'. This triggers action as it can't be ignored.

 

[shellbell]

Its a terrible situation when a child at such a yound age does not know how to behave, its almost as if its all he knows.

There is a child in DD's (7) class who sounds extremely familiar, he only started at her school in Sept last yr and from the very first day caused much upset and dissruption to the whole class. Hitting, kicking, biting other children, swearing and shouting, throwing things across the classroom. It was very disturbing for all the children and teachers. After many, many complaints from parents the child now has 1 on 1 all day everyday. He he never left alone. They have employed a class room assistant just to be with him and it has seemed to of calmed him down!

I hope you managed to get it sorted!

 

[hildasmuriel]

I am sorry that your daughter's class are having to cope with this. As others have mentioned, the chances of such a young child being permanently excluded are remote. They will keep a child in school wherever possible.

I am very surprised that the results of his assessment have become general knowledge. At our school assessments are confidential to the Head and Senco and only those working with the child will know what the diagnosis is.

When I used to work in Year One, we had a child join the school who was almost feral and within just 2 weeks had carried out all sorts of attacks on children, pretty similar to those you describe. The class teacher ( a lovely and very able woman) was at the end of her tether. The school employed an LSA to work exclusively with him, from their own budget because waiting for an assessment takes an age and a full statement takes years. Parents were always complaining about him (entirely understandable) and that was so frustrating as we could not in all honesty guarantee that he wouldn't do it again - chances were that he would.

Well, once I became the Head's PA I was involved in typing reports about him and found out an AWFUL lot that was never public knowledge and explained a great deal. Makes it even more frustrating when parents complain, because I can't tell them what interventions are in place etc, as that would breach confidentiality. It is nearly 3 years since he joined our school and there is still no easy solution - he is still spiteful to other children if he gets the chance. He needs someone with him ALL THE TIME and if that means a member of staff at playtime, lunchtime, before school, then that is what must be done to make the other children safe.