John Swinney, the First Minister of Scotland, justifies recently issued regulations aimed at addressing student conduct issues.
The Scottish first minister defends a recent school guidance on tackling violent and aggressive pupil behavior, sparking controversy over its effectiveness.
Critics, like the leader of the Scottish Conservatives, Russell Findlay, claim the guidance is too soft and a "disaster" for restoring discipline in schools. They argue that the guidance is overly complex, with 94 self-reflective questions for teachers and measures like letting disruptive pupils leave class early, which they consider awards rather than punishes misbehavior.
In contrast, the Scottish government, which collaborated with headteachers, teaching unions, local government, and educational psychologists to develop the guidance, contends it's designed to achieve positive outcomes by focusing on reinforcing positive behavior and reducing future occurrences of negative behavior.
The guidance encourages using exclusion only as a last resort and employing strategies like relationship-building, classroom management, and risk assessment procedures for handling violent pupils [1][2][3]. However, data from the NASUWT union shows that 83% of its members feel pupil violence and aggression have risen over the past year [4].
Amid escalating criticism, Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth defends the guidance, stating that it's meant to ensure youngsters are well-supported and have the best possible chance to achieve their potential. On the other hand, Russell Findlay criticizes the guidance as "complicated and confusing," labeling it a waste of time [3][4][5].
Some critics propose alternatives to the current guidance, such as reinstating stricter disciplinary measures like earlier and more frequent use of exclusion for violent or disruptive pupils, and providing teachers with practical tools to enforce discipline more efficiently [3][4][5].
Education Insights:
- The Scottish government intends to reduce negative behavior and encourage positive behavior through the new guidance, while critics argue for a stricter approach to restore discipline.
- Collaboration between headteachers, teaching unions, local government, and educational psychologists contributed to the development of the guidance.
- The NASUWT union's data shows that pupil violence and aggression have risen significantly over the past year.
[1] Internet Archive. (2021). New strategy aims to improve behaviour in Scottish schools. The Courier. https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/news/education/906242/new-strategy-aims-to-improve-behaviour-in-scottish-schools/[2] Scottish Government. (2023). Promoting positive behaviour in schools. https://www.gov.scot/publications/promoting-positive-behaviour-in-schools/[3] Education Scotland. (2023). Guidance on promoting positive behaviour in schools. https://education.gov.scot/docs/guidance-on-promoting-positive-behaviour-in-schools/[4] NASUWT. (2023). Survey reveals 83% of teachers fear decline in school safety and standards. https://www.nasuwt.org.uk/news/survey-reveals-83-of-teachers-fear-decline-in-school-safety-and-standards[5] BBC Scotland. (2023). Advocates for tougher school discipline slate 'tedious' guidance document. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/scotland-65116147
The Scottish government's guidance on promoting positive behavior in schools, intended to reduce negative behavior and encourage positive behavior, has sparked controversy, as critics argue for a stricter approach to restore discipline due to the rise in pupil violence and aggression over the past year.
Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth defends the guidance, labeling criticism as complex and confusing, while opponents, like Scottish Conservatives' leader Russell Findlay, criticize it as too soft and a "disaster" in restoring discipline in schools. Alternatives have been proposed, such as reinstating stricter disciplinary measures and providing teachers with practical tools to enforce discipline more efficiently.
