AS A PARENT and a secondary school teacher who has worked in a wide variety of schools, I’d like to say bravo to the head of Marlwood and Castle School!

I’ve witnessed first-hand how one or two disruptive students will ruin the learning of the whole class.

The challenge of teaching any class effectively is to engage all of the students despite their varying aptitude and ability, streaming and smaller class sizes can make this task easier but it is always an issue.

There should, however, be no excuse for behavioural issues to further exacerbate this challenge and in my experience parents who complain about the treatment of their children are, in fact, supporting their poor behaviour emboldening them and their peers to intensify their disruptive actions.

Just because a child has a statement of needs does not mean they have the right to disrupt a whole class.

Ultimately secondary teachers are preparing pupils to transition into work and further education where these behaviours will not be tolerated! Regardless of their diagnosed behavioural issues they will be expected to conduct themselves appropriately

I have worked in almost all of the schools in South Gloucestershire, several in Bristol, Bath and a handful in Gloucestershire including Marlwood, Castle and KLB and do not accept that praise is not given when in it is due.

Pupils need to know where they stand in school, life and subsequently the workplace. I think that this is a positive step forward for both schools and will bring teaching back to the whole classroom, instead of teachers spending the majority of the class’s time managing the behaviour of a few individuals.

I suspect that there are many parents, like me, who wholeheartedly support this and are pleased to hear that now instead of their children coming home worrying about their upcoming exams because their lessons were ruined by a disruptive individual, they are now coming home saying that they are amazed they got so much work done because X was not in the classroom today!

Also be assured X got the same work done not now having an audience to perform to, whilst also reflecting upon their future realising ultimately that if they had behaved in the first place they would not be there.

Over the last 10 years of teaching I have seen behaviour decline, students emboldened considering themselves to hold the power in the classroom and am glad that schools in our area have taken steps to ensure that their students ready for the real world.

I once witnessed students on a university field trip misbehaving and the university threw them off the course! No second chances, they warned about expectations and the student chose not to follow them!

Students can make the choice to do this, some may find it more difficult than others, but that is where I have seen responsible parents come in and say “how can we work together to get X to behave in an acceptable way” and not simply complain.

Both schools help students really well in this respect with teams dedicated to supporting children with behavioural and learning difficulties and it’s only when their good work is supported by parents that respect the school’s rules and professionalism that their children will be able thrive.