Pupil Behaviour Management and Allied Issues

Summary

The request sought detailed data on vandalism costs, staff feedback, and disciplinary actions under the Education Act 2001 for Isle of Man secondary schools, but the response primarily disclosed a 'Ready to Learn Refresh' policy document outlining behavioral expectations and mobile device rules.

Key Facts

• The Department of Education, Sport and Culture responded with a 'Ready to Learn Refresh' policy for the 2023-24 academic year.
• The most disruptive classroom behaviors identified are not following instructions, mobile device use, lateness, and lack of equipment.
• Mobile devices are prohibited during learning time, including travel between classrooms, unless used for specific learning tasks with permission.
• Violations of mobile device policies result in escalating sanctions including ePraise logs, break reflections, and removal to a Recovery Room.
• The outcome was classified as 'Some information sent but part exempt', indicating specific data on vandalism costs and Section 21 reports was withheld.

Data Disclosed

• 2023-24
• 8:40AM – 10:45AM
• 11:05AM – 12:45PM
• 13:45PM – 15:25PM
• S3
• S4
• 2021-22
• 2022-23
• Section 21(1)
• Section 21(2)
• Education Act 2001

Original Request

Further to the Department's response to FOI Case ID 3701698 submitted 26th February 2024, the DESC Minister's and CEO's appearance at the annual evidence session of the SAPRC (19th April 2024) and the Minister's response to Q6 in the 23rd April sitting of the House of Keys I seek additional information on behaviour issues and management in the Island's Secondary Schools. Accordingly, I request: For each Secondary school (and for the 2021-22 and 2022-23 academic years and the current academic year to date) such recorded details of vandalism/criminal damage (nature/description and extent of damage etc) on site as is held, the cost incurred of repairing these individual cases of damage and, where held, digital/photographic images of the said damage; and Such feedback as has been received (from commencement of the 2021-22 academic year to date) by the schools and any internal communication/information (e.g. e-mail, staff survey data etc, minutes of meetings, file notes) from and with members of their staff, staff well being representatives/groups and trades unions on behaviour management, allied policies and staff and pupil security; and Feedback, notes and communication relating to issues of pupil behaviour and staff and pupil safety raised at and resulting from the current Minister's meetings with school heads both collectively and individually since her appointment, along with such same feedback on the said issues as raised with the previous Minister or Political members of the Department; and Such Departmental analysis of school returns and comment thereon referencing behaviour/suspension issues as referred to by the Minister in her reply to Q6 in the House of Keys (23rd April) where this information has not hitherto been published in response to a FOI request or in response to a Tynwald written question; and In each of the last two full academic years and in the current academic year to date on how many occasions has the Headteacher of each Secondary school had cause to utilise their powers under the provisions of Section 21(1) of the Education Act 2001 and how many individuals have been reported (and to whom and for what misdemeanour) by each Secondary school pursuant to Section 21(2) of the Education Act 2001?

Data Tables (19)

Full Response Text

Ready to Learn Refresh 2023-24 What did you tell us? The behaviours causing most disruption in classrooms are: • Not following instructions • Use of mobile devices • Lateness to lessons • Not having the correct equipment The behaviours causing most disruption at social times are: • Not following instructions • Congregating in toilets Clarity Consistency Certainty Our School Expectations • Always walk calmly in corridors and social areas • Respect everyone’s personal space, their belongings and the school environment • Food or drink must only be consumed in the canteen, with the exception of water • Always look smart and wear the uniform correctly • Digital Mobile Devices can only be used during breaks and lunchtimes and not during learning time. Re-defining Learning Time • 8:40AM – 10:45AM (Covering Tutorial, Period 1 and Period 2) • 11:05AM – 12:45PM (Covering Periods 3 and 4) • 13:45PM – 15:25PM (Covering Period 5 and 6) Learning Time routines, students should be: In the classroom and focused on their learning or • Moving between two classrooms in the most direct route to ensure they are at their lesson punctually to maximise their time spent in the classroom, or • Carrying out a specific task with permission of the teacher (including going to the toilet or getting a drink of water) Learning Time Expectations • Arrive to the classroom on time, in correct uniform, ensuring you have the necessary equipment • Personal mobile devices should not be seen, heard or used during learning and should not disturb learning • Be respectful whilst others are speaking, and when you are speaking to them • Stay ‘on task’ and do not disrupt the learning of others. • Follow instructions given by any member of staff • Respect everyone’s personal space, their belongings and the learning environment Personal Mobile Digital Devices • Includes mobile smart phone, smart watch, tablet or associated technology such as ear pods. • Can be used to enhance learning, self-organisation and provide assistive technology in the classroom ONLY with staff permission and if it is linked to learning. • Should not be seen, heard or used during learning time. This includes time between lessons travelling from one classroom to another. • If a student is given permission to leave the classroom temporarily for any reason (e.g., toilet visit) mobile devices must be left on the teacher’s desk before they leave the classroom. Consequences – Digital Devices Students CAN use mobile devices at break or lunchtimes in social areas, with the exception of the Lower School canteen, where mobile devices should not be seen, heard or used. Use during learning time (outside the classroom) = S3 and break reflection logged in ePraise Use during learning time in the classroom: • Student asked to place device on teacher’s desk (log on ePraise, no intervention) • Refusal to do so is treated as not following instructions and a S3 is logged on ePraise with a break reflection intervention, with the instruction again to place device on teacher’s desk • Further refusal will result in a S4 issued on ePraise and student taken to Recovery Room Follow up – Digital Devices • Persistent issues with mobile devices (as logged on ePraise) will be monitored by the Pastoral Team. Concerns will be escalated, parents informed and it may result in students not being permitted to have their device in school for a period of time. • Close monitoring across the first part of the year followed by a review to ascertain whether a completely personal device free school needs to be considered. What really helps with consistency • Arriving on time and greeting them at the door • Explicitly teaching them your classroom routines • A restorative conversation to resolve any issues before the next lesson • Consistency of language, talk about being ‘ready to learn’, ‘learning time’ or using the phrase ‘on task behaviour is…..’ • Using the staged language calmly - being explicit about when a student has a Stage 1 or 2 warning and what it is for What really helps with consistency • Tone of voice – keep it calm and controlled and try to manage your own emotions • A calm, planned response does not mean your response to poor behaviour is softer – the repetition, your certainty and the language draws the line again and again. • Praise pupils when they are doing it right! Logging demerits and interventions • We now have 3 Tiers of demerit: • Value 0: Information only, sanction never issued • Value 1: Negative, but not an instant reflection time (more to follow) • Value 2: Negative, require a reflection time to be issued via interventions Value 1 demerits • Small issues, where a 1 off event is not a problem • However these issues become a problem if they are persistent. If you issue 3 of these demerits over time to the same individual, you can then issue a stage 3 intervention for repeated behaviour • Make sure when issuing an intervention, you state the number given previously to make it clear the reflection time is for multiple instances Writing comments: These will now be available for parents to see • The comments written for demerits need to: • Be descriptive: Link comments to the learning time expectations which haven't been met. E.g.: “Off task”, “Speaking over staff talking to the class” • Be concise: Keep it as short as possible, we don’t want information overload • Show awareness of needs: Be mindful of student's additional needs and what has been done to accommodate these • Don’t: • Describe the student with the behaviour: “They are rude and disrespectful” • Refer to past behaviour that should have been dealt with and moved on from (With the exception of cumulative value 1 demerits) “Just like last lesson they….” Writing comments: Writing good comments • Refusing to hand her phone after using it several times. Carried on using it when asked not to. Continual problem all year. • On phone during learning time, several times. Refused to put it away when asked. Writing comments: Writing good comments • "Loud and raucous from outset. Wouldn't follow instructions, and acting rowdy with Boris and Betty to the point that class paperwork was all over their table. Refused to go outside several times before she left room." • Didn't enter the classroom ready to learn, did not follow instructions to sit an engage with work, was asked several times to stand outside before complying. Writing comments: Writing good comments • unable to follow instructions • Did not follow instructions given several times including after being given help with the task OR • Did not follow health and safety instruction during practical task Writing comments: Writing good comments • Extremely rude to teacher, thinks it's normal to say "bum bum cheek cheek" non stop, arrive and shout " " and interrupt others. • Repeatedly making inappropriate comments, given several warnings to stop as disturbing the learning of others Writing comments: Writing good comments • Spread some crisps all over the floor. Says it's the cleaners' job to pick up his mess. Totally arrogant and unapologetic. • Littering the floor with crisps, did not apologise or clean up the mess when asked. Stages and what happens • Stage 1: Verbal warning • Stage 2: 2nd verbal warning • Stage 3: Demerit issued on epraise, 15 minute reflection time issued via an intervention for the next available day • Stage 4: Alert pressed (Life belt on SIMS). Student asked to stand outside, R2L duty staff collect student to take to recovery if required. Stage 4 break time reflection intervention given • Please don’t send students to recovery on their own, with an ESO, or take them to the recovery room and leave them unattended Stage 5: Head of Year intervention • Sometimes an incident requires a more serious intervention by the Head of year • Any further sanction for serious behaviours will be logged and detailed by the head of year as a Stage 5 Sanction • This may involve parental meetings, a self study day or using lunch time to rectify problems caused by their behaviour Formal Suspensions DESC Policy dictates that the decision to formally suspend a pupil for a fixed period of time is only taken either: 1) In response to the most serious violations of a school’s behaviour policy or code of conduct 2) If allowing the pupil to remain in school risks serious harm to the education or welfare of the pupil or others in the school. A Head Teacher can only suspend for a maximum of 10 days in any term. Only Governors have the ability to permit additional suspensions or agree modified/alternative provision Suspensions 2022-23 No. Days of Suspension – last 3 years SUSPENSIONS Suspensions (total days) 2020/21 September: 22.5 October: 4 November: 39 December: 21.5 January: 1.5 February: 14 March: 0 April: 3.5 May: 19 June: 17.5 July: 12.5 Incidents leading to suspension • Verbal Abuse directly at another person • Threats/acts of violence aimed at another person • Physical assault/fighting • Drug/alcohol/vaping • Persistent disruption/defiance and non-compliance with earlier stages of discipline policy • Please report them as soon as possible to the Pastoral Leader and copy in the relevant member of the Senior Team • Staff/students involved will be asked to write a statement – important that all evidence is collected to inform decision making process • Evidence is required in the event of an appeal, and also for further processes such as readmission meetings, Governors’ hearings or Facilitated Move Panel hearings Cumulative interventions • Last year we monitored the behaviour of students throughout half terms. Tutors and HOY took various actions, as behaviour instances increased. This year we have tweaked what the pastoral team will be tracking and acting on: • Stage 4 Classroom • Punctuality • Attendance • Reflection time attendance What about when the tutor is absent? • This year the trackers will be located in the ESOs and Teachers channel so everyone has access to them. • This means any member of staff can review the tutor group data. • They can then email the normal tutor and HOY so they know the first steps have been taken Focus on conversation and monitoring with tutees • The Tutors role is now much more focused on the student, the tutor phone call home is now no longer part of the process • Last year we saw the most impact had in the first stages with those tutors who had given the most time to conversations with their tutees • Report card monitoring is also powerful when used by tutors who see their groups every (or most) days Rollout Students informed through first assembly & reinforced by tutors Parents informed of changes by letter Information will go out for future reference Posters Review period later in term It is important that pupils are supported to understand that inappropriate behaviour choices lead to consequences. Furthermore, we believe that pupils should always be positively acknowledged; it is the pupil’s behaviour choices that are inappropriate, not the pupil.

Boundaries are important in school because they help to create a safe harmonious community for everyone. We understand the differing needs of our pupils and appreciate that at times they may struggle to meet expectations due to different personal experiences, levels of cognitive or emotional understanding of a situation, however boundaries are expected to be maintained and staff are expected to deal with pupils in a calm consistent manner. Where necessary, reasonable adjustments may be made to the implementation of the policy in order to ensure that individual needs are taken into account.

We are committed to staff training and development around trauma and attachment to continue to create greater awareness and understanding of the impact of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) on our young people. The policy and associated procedures provide an overt standpoint on positive, restorative and proactive behaviour regulation, to create a strong attachment and trauma friendly school.

Context of Ready to Learn ‘Ready to Learn’ is an integral part of our ethos at St. Ninian’s High School and is there to help support our core purpose of enabling effective learning to take place. It is a process which covers all aspects of behaviour throughout school i.e. towards other students, staff and the environment both in the classroom, around the school site and in online spaces connected to our learning in school. Students will learn and progress most effectively when they are in a secure, safe and happy environment and that is what ‘Ready to Learn’ is designed to create and support.

Underpinning this policy is the belief that with support, everyone can learn to self- manage/self-regulate their own emotions and behaviour. Through this we encourage and provide opportunities for reflective thinking. Ultimately, we wish to give our students confidence about their capacity to think for themselves and to make sense of their own lives and experiences, hopefully beyond school and into the “real” world”, (see guidance document on Universal Support and the COLI).

‘Ready to Learn’ is also about rewarding students who try their best and do not disrupt the learning of others. Rewards are issued regularly and for a variety of positive behaviours throughout the year, (see guidance document on Rewards).

The Role of Parents
Parents have a vital role to play in their child’s education. It is very important that parents support their child’s learning and co-operate with the school to promote good behaviour. The school is very conscious of the importance of having strong links with parents and good communication between home and school. Thus, the school works collaboratively with parents. The school will ensure that parents are kept informed as to their child’s behaviour at school, so that pupils receive consistent messages about how to behave at home and at school.
The School’s R2L Behaviour guidance document is accessible to all parents/carers via the school website.
If the school has to implement consequences against a pupil, parents should support the actions of the school. If parents have any concern about the way their pupil has been treated, they should initially contact the class teacher or form tutor.
The school expects all members of the community to adhere to the principles as set out in the policy and therefore to behave in an appropriate manner within school.
Incidents of verbal or physical aggression to staff by parents/guardians/carers of pupils in the school will be reported immediately to the Head teacher who will take appropriate action

Mobile Devices Mobile devices, when used correctly in the classroom, can enhance learning and provide assistive technology. Students receive guidance around the safe use of mobile devices and social media in computing lessons and through

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