The following resolution was successfully moved at Annual Conference 2008 by Derby NASUWT Branch delegates and is now NASUWT policy:
Pupil Behaviour Resolution – Annual Conference 2008
Conference considers that disruptive pupil behaviour, and the failure of some school managements to manage disruptive behaviour effectively, is the biggest cause of stress for teachers and the most significant reason for poor standards.
Conference asserts that the reasons for poor pupil behaviour are complex, but elements of the following may be contributory factors:
- the alienation of many pupils from the education system;
- elements of the Every Child Matters Agenda;
- the misuse of the Disability Discrimination Act by school managers and local authorities;
- the repeated undermining of teachers as key authority figures;
the current child protection regulations;
- the statutory complaints procedures which schools have been obliged to adopt;
- weak managers;
- the practice of employing non-teachers in positions where they are able to make decisions about behaviour management;
- the “student voice” agenda;
- the use of practices such as “managed moves”;
- the continued attempts by local authorities to reduce exclusions and
- the continuing inspection by OFSTED of exclusion data.
Conference is completely opposed to the view that standards of acceptable behaviour should be lowered for certain categories of pupils.
Conference believes that the National Executive should continue to make improving pupil behaviour and restoring the authority of the classroom teacher key priorities.
Conference instructs the National Executive to authorise disputes in schools, including the use of strike action:
- in cases where pupil discipline has broken down and the NASUWT Representatives have failed to secure improvements to members’ working conditions through collective bargaining and
- where the management impose working practices which lead to worsened pupil behaviour.
