Kids behaving badly

There is a lack of support from parents when it comes to the behaviour of kids, according to NASUWT, the UK’s largest teachers’ union.

The union believes it has become a big problem when trying to discipline pupils at school. 

At their annual conference, the union published a survey of more than 8,000 members, which revealed a swathe of unhappy teachers who feel they have no support from parents when it comes to their child’s behaviour. Two in three teachers blame pupils misbehaving on the lack of back-up from parents.

Chris Keates, general secretary to NASUWT, said parents couldn’t simply ‘abandon their responsibilities at the school gate.’

Over half of those surveyed also complained too many parents were not sending their children to school with the right equipment. Kids had iPods, mobile phones, and mp3 players but not important basic items like a pen.

The survey said the electronic gadgets were a cause of distraction and disruption in the classroom and also cited TV and media as negative influences.

Last month, Darwen Vale High School in Lancashire hit the headlines when teachers went on strike over behaviour, claiming they were not given support by senior staff when they confronted their pupils.

The Schools Minister, Nick Gibb, said the pendulum had ‘swung too far towards pupils in recent years’ when it came to control of the classroom. “We expect head teachers to back and support teachers in the decisions they take on a day-to-day basis in the isolation of the classroom to ensure that pupils can learn in a safe and ordered environment,” he said.

“Let's not forget the role parents have to play in ensuring their children are well-behaved at school and that they too support the school when teachers take action."