Premise:

The August riots-a tragedy in their own right-have presented a golden opportunity to an ever-present mob of reactionary voices that all too easily fall into a time-worn, clichéd dialogue containing the following key words and phrases:

• Back to basics
• Respect
• Discipline
• Punishment
• Do gooders
• Trendy Teaching

I’m pretty sure you catch my drift!

Here’s some information gleaned from the Pimlico Academy-a transformed school that did a a few pretty straight forward things.

1. They decided what they were there for and told everybody in six straight forward sentences.
2. They set up a great pastoral system-a house system that worked well because it emphasised the importance of learning and behaviour and did something about it when things started to slip
3. A strong tutorial system and after school support-access to specialist teachers and boosters
4. A strong sense of corporate identity with a uniform-grants for families who were struggling to afford one.
5. A Firm, Fair and Followed disciplinary system
6. A rewards system that acknowledges an celebrates progress in behaviour.

Outcome :

The number of pupils achieving five A*-C grades at GCSE (including maths and English) was 60 per cent in 2010/11, up from 36 per cent in 2007/08.

At the end of the 2010/11 school year, attendance was 94.3 per cent for years 7 to 11, compared to 78.3 per cent in 2009/10.

Staff absenteeism has halved since the introduction of the new measures thanks to reduced stress and pressure on teachers.

In the first year that the rewards system was introduced, there were no permanent exclusions. The following year there was only one.

Prior to the rewards system, 50 to 60 pupils were sent out of lessons each day. Now it is fewer than 10 and they are normally sent out for less serious reasons than was previously the case. Overall there has been a huge change in the atmosphere in the school, maintains Holt: “The staff are happier, the students are happier and the school is basically a much nicer place to be.”

The above takes a little more thinking through the simplistic rantings of “Put the teacher back in charge” and it sits comfortably with my view-if you want respect you need to earn it-power and authority are given and received, not enforced and tolerated and, without consensus we’re nowhere.

This doesn’t mean that we “hand over control to the kids”-it means for me that life is far more subtle and nuanced than  ”Do as I say or else,” and the sooner we establish learning cultures that transmit those values, the better it will be for kids, their families and teachers and wider society.

We have, as part of our professional portfolio a considerable depth of experience working in schools and colleges on behaviour related issues. Our experience would bear out the key elements of the above and we are happy to discuss this here or by contacting us directly at enquiries@coadyconsultants.co.uk

Listen To Your Workforce!

Workforce Voices-The Value and Benefits of Listening

October 5, 2011 by coady1

Premise


Can listening to and engaging with a workforce make a positive contribution-we believe it can as long as it is honest, authentic and can show that a “difference for the better” has emerged. We also believe that this will work in any organisation-large or small-providing the process is well managed.


Here are 3 areas for consideration

1. Principles
2. Benefits
3. Challenges

Principles of Listening to Workforce Voices:


o Mutual respect given and received between and within the workforce 
o All adults have equal worth in the workplace
o Communication is open, honest, valued and provides an exchange of ideas and views between workforce
o Investment in the future – accepting that all members of workforce are entitled to express their views about things which will affect and determine their future
o Meaningful active involvement where any decisions about workforce are made with them
o Working relationships are sustainable, effective and responsive
o Equal opportunities exist for workforce to be involved in a range of activities/development processes
o Workforce participation, involvement and voice are continually evaluated and reviewed.


Benefits of Listening to Workforce Voices:


o Gives additional information and insight into what the workforce thinks of structures/management etc
o Helps to strengthen partnerships between workforce and management
o Helps workforce members work out what is best for themselves and their colleagues
o Enables the workforce to gain better understanding of the things that really matter to colleagues
o Helps to create a listening environment
o All workforce members feel valued, respected and treated like equals
o Helps to develop reflective thinking 
o Increased confidence, self esteem and aspirations
o Enables the workforce to become more motivated to get involved in their jobs 
o Strengthens the feeling of community
o Develops teamwork
o Promotes more creative thinking
o Increases effective communication between workforce 


Challenges of Listening to Workforce Voices 


o Some of the workforce may be anxious about criticism of their work/leadership/communication skills
o Some of the workforce may be wary of the unpredictability of comments and views
o Some of the workforce may have reservations about voicing their opinions/blame culture
o Some of the workforce may worry about the loss of authority in their department
o Some of the workforce will not be prepared to accept the opinions of others
o Some of the workforce may use the opportunity to “take over” or dominate discussion areas
o Managing the initiative will call for careful planning/time constraints etc

Listening and Acting On Workforce Voices

Premise


Can listening to and engaging with a workforce make a positive contribution-we believe it can as long as it is honest, authentic and can show that a "difference for the better" has emerged. We also believe that this will work in any organisation-large or small-providing the process is well managed.


Here are 3 areas for consideration

1. Principles
2. Benefits
3. Challenges

Principles of Listening to Workforce Voices:


o Mutual respect given and received between and within the workforce 
o All adults have equal worth in the workplace
o Communication is open, honest, valued and provides an exchange of ideas and views between workforce
o Investment in the future – accepting that all members of workforce are entitled to express their views about things which will affect and determine their future
o Meaningful active involvement where any decisions about workforce are made with them
o Working relationships are sustainable, effective and responsive
o Equal opportunities exist for workforce to be involved in a range of activities/development processes
o Workforce participation, involvement and voice are continually evaluated and reviewed.


Benefits of Listening to Workforce Voices:


o Gives additional information and insight into what the workforce thinks of structures/management etc
o Helps to strengthen partnerships between workforce and management
o Helps workforce members work out what is best for themselves and their colleagues
o Enables the workforce to gain better understanding of the things that really matter to colleagues
o Helps to create a listening environment
o All workforce members feel valued, respected and treated like equals
o Helps to develop reflective thinking 
o Increased confidence, self esteem and aspirations
o Enables the workforce to become more motivated to get involved in their jobs 
o Strengthens the feeling of community
o Develops teamwork
o Promotes more creative thinking
o Increases effective communication between workforce 


Challenges of Listening to Workforce Voices 


o Some of the workforce may be anxious about criticism of their work/leadership/communication skills
o Some of the workforce may be wary of the unpredictability of comments and views
o Some of the workforce may have reservations about voicing their opinions/blame culture
o Some of the workforce may worry about the loss of authority in their department
o Some of the workforce will not be prepared to accept the opinions of others
o Some of the workforce may use the opportunity to “take over” or dominate discussion areas
o Managing the initiative will call for careful planning/time constraints etc

It Is With Anger and Disbelief!!

The link takes you to an article published about a 16 years old girl called Dana. She had been

• Sexually abused since she was 13
• Groomed for abuse in a classic manner, by someone in authority and with credibility: someone she should have been able to trust
• Removed from what is reported as a successful Foster Placement
• Allocated multiple social workers (12 in 18 months)
• Known to self-harm
• Known to attempt suicide
• Disbelieved

http://tinyurl.com/6dody59

I urge you to follow the link and read the story: whether you work directly with children, young people or vulnerable adults or not, take a couple of minutes and read not only what is said but (crucially), what is left unsaid.

We train professionals in Safeguarding and they are left in no doubt whatsoever as we deliver our programme-believe the child.

Dana found a friend in a trainee teacher who was told by the School’s Child Protection Officer that Dan was an attention seeker.

Without best guessing the outcome of the serious case review it seems that we are once again failing to protect the most vulnerable in spite of a series of what anyone, with the most basic awareness in Safeguarding would recognise as “classic indicators” of a potentially abusive or dangerous situation.

For the trainee teacher who Dana had befriended it is my hope that she/he is able to reconcile that they did the right thing and spoke to the right people: the responsibility for what transpired is shared elsewhere.

A NEW DEVELOPMENT TO MEET OUR PARTNERS’ NEEDS

We now have access to a highly experienced and qualified Children’s Support Worker/Children’s Bereavement Counsellor who brings an extensive background of first-hand experience in supporting Children and Young People traumatic and challenging periods in their lives including:

• Bereavement
• Loss through separation/divorce
• Working with terminally ill Children & Young People
• Working with anger issues

We anticipate that the major benefit to Children, Young People and their Families will be option to access a skilled professional in partnership with their school.
For schools, colleges, academies and training organisations we feel confident that access to this development will enable them to enhance their existing support to young people in distressing circumstances.-we have developed training packages that can be modified to meet your organisation’s needs

Domestic Violence: Child, Young Person or Adult.

Domestic Violence: Child, Young Person or Adult.

Background:

We are about to embark on a launch of our development programme which can be adapted for the all employers, training organisations, schools, academies and colleges and training establishments.

If you would like to find out more about how we could work with you, here are our contact details:

enquiries@coadyconsultants.co.uk 

Telephone 0121-602-7191 (UK)

Mobile 07984409937

or of course, use the comment section on our Blog.

Domestic Violence-Awareness Raising.

Premise

In 2001 women represented 44% of the working age labour force. This figure is set to rise to 48% by 2012. In some specific areas, women will form the majority of the workforce.  It is estimated that 1:4 women will experience domestic violence from men known to them and between 1:8-1:10 will have experienced it within the last year. A woman is at her most vulnerable at the point of leaving a violent relationship.

The Programme

Our programme is drawn from a nationally recognised (Home Office Approved) format providing practical approaches and in doing so establishes:

• Domestic Violence accounts for almost 25% of violent crime
• It crosses social and cultural boundaries
• There are critical events when the targets of domestic violence are at their most vulnerable
• Teachers, Mentors and other colleagues in the Education Workforce may be confided in by parents, carers or co-workers who have been the target of Domestic Violence and are at a point where they need informed assistance
• The targets of Domestic Violence , their colleagues and managers need access to recent information, including signposting to support networks and practical steps for employers
• Misinformed actions or suggestions may exacerbate an already dangerous situation

Members of the Education Workforce are ideally placed to recognise patterns of behaviour that may suggest a child, a parent/carer or an employee is under duress. We believe that we all place worker safety, safeguarding and security at the heart of our Duty of Care to their learners, parents and employees and would wish to develop a positive approach to supporting those who are/have been the targets of domestic violence. We also recognise the impact of Domestic Violence on Learner Achievement, Parental engagement and the investment lost to organisations in terms of skills and expertise when experienced colleagues leave their jobs at short-notice either as a direct or indirect outcome of domestic violence. Our programme will enable participants to

• Acquire a working understanding of the processes targets are subjected to
• Develop overview of perpetrator behaviour
• Understand to support colleagues at the point of disclosure.

Learning Styles

• Participative.
• Presentation & Video Materials (Please note-video materials are “acted” and free from “Shock Tactics”)

Segregate or Integrate: Early Choices Challenge Inclusive Practice

The Times Education Supplement (1/7/11) headline makes for sad reading: “Infants Expelled to Pupil Referral Units”. http://www.tes.co.uk/article.aspx?storycode=6092105&navcode=94 The headline is depressing enough: professionally it could have been written twenty years ago. What we saw at that time was an increased number of younger pupils being referred to off-site provision (later to be designated as PRU’s) pupils with a seemingly increasingly complex range of social, behavioural and emotional difficulties, (SEBD).

The terminology was different and the evolution of the descriptor SEBD would have been more helpful had it helped to engage some clearer thinking along the lines of “Now we’ve given it a name, what shall we do with it?” Here’s what I mean. The complexity is in the title: the child has social needs and cannot socialise: the child has behavioural needs and can not behave: the child has emotional needs and is not nurtured, secure or biddable to a point from which they might begin to engage with the needs of others

The notion that the above complexity of needs and the accompanying requirement to produce and deliver long term, sustainable intervention and support programmes when, to quote the article “The units are often used as a temporary “fix”….” is risible,: If this weren’t enough, the PRU’s role is made more complicated because, and to quote again, “Pupils at risk of exclusion are sent to PRU’s for specialist support that it is hoped will see them return to mainstream schools”

We have now what we began twenty years ago: Special Education on The Cheap. The establishment costs of PRU’s are lower than those of Special Schools and the relatively “assessment free” entry requirements means that (as ever) capacity will always be outstripped by demand.

It has been my privilege to be a Head Teacher in two PRU’s: secondary ones admittedly and to manage Behaviour Support Services in two Local Authorities. One of the more painful aspects of the former of the two roles was to tell parents that we were at a point in their child’s programme where we could consider seeking a return to Mainstream. The news was often unwelcome, with parents and carers stating that since being with us, their child had changed, was more settled, less problematic and that home life had improved for the better. They saw a return to Mainstream as an unwanted return to the very environment that had been the reason for their referral to our Centre.

The Advisory Centre for Education advocates that children’s needs should be assessed within the normal mainstream environment. Too often the peaks of extreme behaviours mean that this environment is far from normal as it responds to children whose anxieties are the product of circumstances outside of school. Children are as a result sometimes almost entirely unable to deal with the multiple inputs, instructions, constraints and relationships that feature in the “normal” classroom: the result is that the classroom and its relationship with the child is far from normal: it might be regular, it could be usual but let’s not fool ourselves, it is not normal.

In closing, I observe with some sadness that what we have in place at present is not working. It is neither segregationalist in its intention nor inclusive in its practice. Perhaps we need to reconfigure our thinking along the lines of “as much integration as is possible with as much supportive discrete provision as is necessary” and think about what the approach might mean in terms of developing high impact strategies based on a well focussed assessment of the child’s needs, the family’s circumstances and the adjustments and implications for reintroducing the child to mainstream or retaining him therein.