Commenting on the Education Secretary’s launch of a consultation
on behaviour and discipline in schools, Geoff Barton, General
Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said:
“The Education Secretary appears to be obsessed with the subject
of mobile phones in schools. In reality, every school will
already have a robust policy on the use of mobile phones; it
isn’t some sort of digital free-for-all. Approaches will vary
between settings and contexts, but this is an operational
decision for schools, not something that can be micromanaged from
Westminster. Frankly, school and college leaders would prefer the
Education Secretary to be delivering an ambitious post-pandemic
recovery plan and setting out how he intends to minimise
educational disruption next term, rather than playing to
backbenchers on the subject of behaviour.
“We have no objection to looking at the issue of how to support
good behaviour in general, but it is important to recognise that
there are wider factors that also need to be addressed. There
have been severe cutbacks to the support that is available to
struggling families and children over the past 10 years because
of the government’s austerity policies. These programmes are an
essential part of addressing the complex needs of many young
people and supporting good behaviour. The government must do more
for our most vulnerable families.”
