‘Tackle the cause of bad behaviour’ (From Lancashire Telegraph)
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‘Tackle the cause of bad behaviour’
2:45pm Tuesday 31st July 2012 in News
SCHOOLS must do more to tackle the cause of bad behaviour, as unruly children may have special needs or serious problems at home, a leading charity has warned.
Barnardo's said some pupils may be ‘acting out’ rather than simply ‘acting up’ in class, and that schools should not simply deal with the symptoms of naughty behaviour.
Official figures published last week revealed that, in England, pupils with a statement of special educational needs (SEN) are around nine times more likely to be expelled from school than their peers.
In 2010/11, SEN children with a statement were permanently excluded on 430 occasions, and accounted for 8 per cent of all expulsions, the Department for Education statistics show.
Barnardo's chief executive, Anne Marie Carrie, said: “A school teacher's job is not an easy one, but they must look behind the behaviour to see the child. Unruly pupils may be acting out, not just acting up.
“The most 'out of control' children may be the most vulnerable children facing horrendous problems at home.
“Pupils may also have undiagnosed special needs, and the earlier these are identified, the better chance they have to reach their full potential.”
