The government announced a range of measures to tackle discipline and behaviour problems in schools, including: intensive support for around 400 secondary and 1,500 primary schools in the most 'challenging' circumstances; funding for over 200 teams specialising in tackling disruptive behaviour; powers for education welfare and police officers to issue fixed penalty notices to parents who condone or ignore truancy; and a fast-track prosecution system which could result in fines of up to 2,500 or a jail sentence (though a previous proposal, for withholding child benefit, was apparently dropped). Campaigners said that punitive measures such as fines could prove 'a barrier between the school and the parent', and that 'the best outcomes are achieved by working in partnership with the child, the parents and the school'.
Source: Speech by Charles Clarke MP, Secretary of State for Education, 12.12.02 | Press release 12.12.02, Department for Education and Skills (0870 000 2288) | Press release 12.12.02, National Family and Parenting Institute (020 7424 3460)
Links: DfES press release | NFPI press release
Date: 2002-Dec
Researchers examined whether truanting behaviour is a response to economic incentives. They found that, for some individuals, the rewards from working or engaging in crime are so large, or their return to education so low, that their school attendance drops below the officially mandated level.
Source: Simon Burgess, Karen Gardiner and Carol Propper, The Economic Determinants of Truancy, CASEpaper 61, Centre for Analysis of Social Exclusion/London School of Economics (020 7955 6679)
Links: Paper (pdf)
Date: 2002-Nov
The total number of permanent exclusions from schools in England increased by some 10 per cent in 2000-01, to 9,135 (after decreasing by more than a quarter from around 12,700 in 1996-97 to 8,323 in 1999-2000).
Source: Permanent Exclusions from Maintained Schools in England, Statistical Bulletin 09-02, Department for Education and Skills, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Bulletin (pdf)
Date: 2002-Nov
A study examined school exclusion from the perspectives of pupils, parents, teachers and support workers. The author called for education to be reclaimed as a 'humanising, liberalising democratic force', respecting difference and diversity.
Source: Charlie Cooper, Understanding School Exclusion: Challenging processes of docility, Education Now (0115 925 7261)
Links: Summary
Date: 2002-Oct
The Prime Minister said that parents of truants who refuse to cooperate with the school will be fined or lose benefit.
Source: Speech by Tony Blair MP to Labour Party Conference, 1.10.02
Links: Speech
See also: Journal of Social Policy Volume 31/4, Digest 124, paragraph 1.6
Date: 2002-Oct
A study of bullying in Northern Ireland schools said that every school should have an explicit policy in relation to bullying, and that bullying should be defined so as to include social exclusion, rejection, or persistent, directed spreading of damaging rumours.
Source: Bullying in Schools: A Northern Ireland Study, Department of Education/Northern Ireland Executive (028 9127 9391)
Links: Research Brief (pdf)
See also: Journal of Social Policy Volume 31/3, Digest 123, paragraph 3.6
Date: 2002-Oct
The government announced a new fast-track prosecution process for the parents of persistent truants who refuse to send their children to school. Parents will have twelve weeks (one term) to ensure their child regularly attends school, or face prosecution. The new procedure will be piloted in six local education authorities across England from November 2002.
Source: Press release 9.10.02, Department for Education and Skills (0870 000 2288)
Links: Press release
Date: 2002-Oct
The Secretary of State for Education said the government will back headteachers who choose to prosecute abusive children and parents. She subsequently intervened to support a school trying to exclude two pupils who made death threats against a teacher, but was then forced to admit she had no powers to overturn an appeals panel ruling.
Source: Speech by Estelle Morris MP, Secretary of State for Education, 2.10.02 | The Guardian, 11.10.02 and 12.10.02
Links: Text of speech | Guardian 11.10.02 | Guardian 12.10.02
Date: 2002-Oct
Early statistics (subject to checking by schools) showed that unauthorised absence from schools in England totaled 0.7 per cent in the 2000-01 academic year - unchanged from the previous year. (The Statistical First Release replaces the National Pupil Absence Tables published annually since 1993-94.)
Source: Pupil Absences in Schools in England, 2001-02 (Early Statistics), Statistical First Release 24/2002, Department for Education and Skills (0870 000 2288)
Links: SFR (pdf)
See also: Journal of Social Policy Volume 31/3, Digest 123, paragraph 3.5
Date: 2002-Oct
A report argued that the teaching of citizenship can improve students motivation and attitude to learning, exclusion and attendance figures, and exam results.
Source: The Impact of Citizenship in Schools, Community Service Volunteers (020 7643 1314)
Links: CSV Home Page
Date: 2002-Sep
Researchers reported that pilot mentor points; (pilot agencies designed to improve the coherence and quality of volunteer mentoring for young people) have been broadly successful in achieving their objectives.
Source: Sarah Golden, Ann Lines and David Sims, Mentor Points: Pilot Year Evaluation, Research Report 369, Department for Education and Skills (0845 602 2260)
Links: Report (pdf) | Brief (pdf)
See also: Journal of Social Policy Volume 31/3, Digest 123, paragraph 3.5
Date: 2002-Aug
A report called for school climates that are more understanding and supportive of children with emotional and behavioural difficulties, and that reduce the need for children to be placed in special schools and pupil referral units.
Source: The Mental Health Needs of Children with Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties, Mental Health Foundation (020 7802 0300)
Links: Report (pdf) | Summary (pdf)
See also: Journal of Social Policy Volume 31/2, Digest 122, paragraph 3.5
Date: 2002-Aug
About half the children stopped during truancy sweeps were with their parents (England, 29 April-30 May 2002).
Source: Press release 18.6.02, Department for Education and Skills (0870 000 2288)
Links: Press release
See also: Journal of Social Policy Volume 31/4, Digest 124 (paragraph 3.5)
Date: 2002-May
There were 9,210 permanent exclusions from primary, secondary and special schools, up 11 per cent (England, 2000-01).
Source: Permanent Exclusions from Schools and Exclusion Appeals, England 2000-01 (Provisional Estimates), Statistical First Release 10/2002, Department for Education and Skills (0870 000 2288)
Links: Statistical release (pdf)
See also: Journal of Social Policy Volume 31/3, Digest 123 (paragraph 3.5)
Date: 2002-May
The government welcomed the jailing of a mother for repeated truancy by her teenage daughters; schools subsequently reported a significant drop in truancy levels.
Sources: The Guardian, 14.5.02 | The Times, 27.5.02
Links: Guardian report
See also: Journal of Social Policy Volume 31/4, Digest 124 (paragraph 1.6)
Date: 2002-May
A report argued that citizenship education can help improve school attendance and results.
Source: The Impact of Citizenship in Schools, Community Service Volunteers (020 7643 1338)
Links: No link
See also: Journal of Social Policy Volume 30/2, Digest 118 (paragraph 10.4)
Date: 2002-May
