Teachers unsupported by the Government in tackling pupil indiscipline

An overwhelming number of teachers have no confidence that the Coalition Government’s measures on pupil indiscipline will have any positive impact, new figures released by the NASUWT, the largest teachers’ union, show.

An NASUWT survey of teachers found that:

• pupil behaviour remains a major concern for teachers, with nearly three-quarters of teachers saying they believe there is a widespread behaviour problem in schools;
• 84% stated that they did not believe that the increased powers to search pupils, introduced by the Government, would help tackle pupil indiscipline;
• 55% do not believe that same-day detentions, a power initiated by the Government, will assist them in maintaining discipline;
• 52% did not feel that the power to confiscate items from pupils would be of assistance to them.

Over 17,500 teachers responded to the NASUWT’s ‘Big Question’ survey, conducted in March 2012.

Chris Keates, General Secretary of the NASUWT, said:

“The findings of this survey reinforce what the NASUWT has said all along: that the Coalition’s much vaunted promises to support teachers in tackling pupil indiscipline were more about securing populist headlines than supporting the profession.

“Once again the Government has failed to listen to teachers. Teachers don’t want more sanctions, they want support from school leaders and parents.

“Too many teachers report that the school’s first response to poor behaviour by pupils is to blame the teacher.”

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