Here's one way to tackle children in danger of being excluded...
Following the news today about expulsion and young children, Angela Sarkis CEO of The Nurture Group Network, has contacted me to express her views. Angela is a very impressive lady, whose organisation does some remarkable work helping children with emotional and behavioural difficulties to be successfully included in mainstream schools. She knows what she is talking about...
Here is what she had to say:
“We should not be excluding any 3 and 4 year olds from schools. Even one exclusion is a failure. Exclusion is not the answer at all, the answer is early identification of children who need support. Research shows that exclusions are reduced in local authorities with nurture groups.
Ofsted published a report today looking at exclusions for primary school children aged 4 – 7 years. Speaking on Radio 5 this morning The Director of Education at Ofsted (Miriam Rosen) said that their report showed that the approaches that worked are ones based on valuing children, and nurture groups are one of the strategies that deliver results.
Nurture groups work with children with social, emotional and/or behavioural difficulties, who are often extremely challenging. These children are at high risk of exclusion. In 2006 3,750 children aged four and five received a fixed term exclusion (figures provided by DCSF). Nurture groups allow children to build a relationship with the adults in a setting in which they will be able to learn developmentally appropriate behaviour, allowing them to progress socially and academically both in and out of school.
In his recent report Sir Alan Steer said that “Head Teachers report Nurture Groups can be important in supporting pupils who display poor behaviour, and recognised the importance of early intervention in raising behaviour standards in schools. He recommended that the DCSF undertake an assessment of the impact of nurture groups in areas of high deprivation.
Nurture groups are increasingly gathering government support. In Parliament this month Jamie Reed MP said that, having recently visited nurture groups in his constituency, “I can say without exaggeration that I have never been as moved or convinced by the need for any public service”. Diana Johnson (Government Minister for Education said during an adjournment debate that she would be delighted to meet the Nurture Group Network, and that the department would act on all of Sir Steers recommendations.
Jillian Hyde is Head Teacher of Ince Primary school in Wigan, set in a an area of high deprivation. They’ve run a nurture group, called Seasons, for a number of years. Jillian is a big supporter of Nurture Groups and knows first hand the effect they have on pupils, families, teachers and schools. Before the Nurture Group began behaviour was a real problem in the school. Since setting up Seasons this has changed completely.
The school was recently visited by local authority officers. Their report said “Children are undoubtedly the greatest advocates of the school and its teachers. Their behaviour was at all times exemplary and a testimony to the pastoral care of the school. The Seasons room, Circle time and PHSE were spoken of by the children as being wonderful”.
I hope to write more on Nurture groups in the future, but what Angela has to say is food for thought - she doesn't want anyone to give up on these children.
Read School Gate:
How should schools deal with disruptive kids? Tell us your experiences
I rather agree with Whimsey, having had one h*** of a day yesterday with a reception class. The heat didn't help - many of them just couldn't cope and would have been better off at home with the curtains drawn or in paddling pools. Now there's an idea.
One child hit a teacher when she tried to get him to sit on the 'thinking chair'. I was told that another bit a TA not so long ago. This is unacceptable, not least for the sake of the majority who are ready and willing to sit still when asked and listen. I'm all for child-centred early-years education but they do have to be socialised somewhere along the line. Nurture groups do sound the business - quite honestly, on days like yesterday I don't have the energy to care much about individuals' long-term futures (I'm glad someone does!) but just want them out of the way so I can do what I'm paid for. Pity the poor regulars.
Rant over!
Posted by: Cathy | 24 Jun 2009 17:35:21
Well, yes, this is all very nice, but what does it cost, and who has to pay? I quite agree that for every pound spent by the state in intervening as early as possible in preventing children from dysfunctional backgrounds growing up into dysfunctional, anti-social adults, the state is saving hundreds - possibly thousands? - of pounds in what society has to shell out when such children reach adulthood (prison costs more than a luxury hotel!)
But whatever these groups achieve, it still does not solve the problem - we need to drain the swamp where such children are bred in the first place. What makes them like this at the age of 4, and what can be done to stop that happening?
Posted by: Whimsey | 24 Jun 2009 17:25:12