'Defiance' from parents over bad school behaviour

A national campaign to tackle bad behaviour in schools has been suggested, with some parents showing "defiance" to policies and excusing the actions of their children, according to Estyn.

Wales' schools inspectorate said since the pandemic, secondary schools have reported a general decline in behaviour, with the most challenging pupils becoming "increasingly hard to manage".

It called for a national campaign to address the issues, with fixed term exclusions of five days or less, rising from 12,774 instances in 2018-19 to 22,945 in 2022-23.

The Welsh government said it would ensure "everything possible" was done to address declining behaviour in schools and colleges.

Poor behaviours by pupils ranged from talking in class to threats of violence against teachers and classmates, staff told Estyn.

Common issues included answering the teacher back or disrespecting staff, refusing to complete work and not going to lessons.

It said there were concerns about poor behaviour in corridors, mobile phone misuse, vaping and increased anxiety amongst pupils.

School staff told Estyn that parents sometimes challenged the approach to behaviour and many described a few parents as "unsupportive, sometimes undermining staff by excusing poor behaviour".

"A very few parents displayed aggressive behaviour towards leaders and staff when presented with concerns about their child's behaviour," the report said.

Estyn urged the Welsh government to update national behaviour management guidelines because "there is no relevant, practical and current guidance to support schools, pupils or their families in dealing with behaviour and promoting positive behaviours".

It said the Welsh government should "develop a national campaign with local authorities to promote and explain the importance of good behaviour with parents, carers and pupils".

A spokesperson for the government said it welcomed Estyn's report which highlighted the issues faced by schools and what could be done to address them.

"Making sure learners and staff feel safe and supported in our educational settings is essential," they said.

"We will be discussing these points further at our behaviour summit later this month, where we will also reflect on today's roundtable on violence and safety in schools and colleges."

Data shows exclusions are on the increase, with a particular jump in fixed-term exclusions of five days or less - up from 12,774 instances in 2018-19 to 22,945 in 2022-23.

The rate of fixed-term exclusions was almost three and a half times higher for pupils eligible for free school meals compared to their classmates, the report said.

Pupils with additional learning needs (ALN) also had significantly higher rates of exclusion.

"These exclusion rates are a considerable concern and give us some indication of the increasing number of pupils demonstrating extremely challenging and complex behaviour," the report, focused on promoting positive behaviour in secondary schools, said.

Inspectors said schools that were the best at promoting good behaviour had high expectations of pupils and staff, a strong focus on wellbeing and effective behaviour policies which were applied consistently.

But they said it was difficult to fully understand the extent of the problem because there was no national system to collect data on incidences of poor behaviour.

The report said most school leaders felt overall support from the Welsh government, local authorities and school improvement services were "inadequate".

They said there was a lack of alternative provision and Pupil Referral Units (PRUs) were often full.

Reduced funding and staff cuts also hindered progress in addressing challenges, according to school leaders.

The 1,700 responses to a pupil survey suggested that students had a more positive view than teachers of behaviour in lessons, but many said behaviour improved when teachers respected them and treated them fairly.

Some headteachers who completed the survey called for "a national strategy involving mobile phone bans, increased funding for specialist provision and clearer accountability for parents".

Responses from school staff suggested they were frustrated by inconsistent enforcement of behaviour policies and by the impact the behaviour of a few pupils had on learning for the majority.

Chief inspector Owen Evans said: "Pupil behaviour can be challenging and positive behaviour doesn't just happen - it's the result of strong and compassionate leadership allied to clear and consistently applied behaviour management, consistent staff training and involves the support of the whole school community."

An earlier Estyn report on behaviour in further education colleges highlighted similar concerns about worsening behaviour.

Plaid Cymru's education spokesman Cefin Campbell said behaviour in schools was a matter of "growing concern", adding the Welsh government knows of "serious cases".

He added: "They [the government] have so far failed to offer any solutions to improve behaviour in our schools and failed to give the sector confidence that they are taking the matter seriously."

The Welsh Conservatives' shadow cabinet secretary for education Natasha Asghar called the situation "deeply concerning".

She added: "Teachers, students and parents are all affected by the escalating lack of discipline.

"Immediate action is needed to reverse these trends and restore safety and order in our schools."