School crackdown hailed a success
BAD behaviour has fallen dramatically at an Ely school after a controversial crackdown on unruly pupils.
Ely College made national headlines in April when it introduced its Right to Teach, Right to Learn scheme.
Hundreds of pupils were removed from lessons and into detention as teachers exercised their powers but headteacher Catherine Jenkinson-Dix says the school now averages just 28 detentions a day after pupils learned the rules of the new regime.
It has had such an impact the school now has a completely different ethos, Ms Jenkinson-Dix added.
“They really have met the new standard very effectively and it really helps the teaching in the classroom.”
Pupils who misbehave during lessons at the college are sent to a supervision room to carry out the rest of their study in isolation.
Teachers who send naughty kids out immediately trigger an electronic message which goes to the head and other supervision members of staff, who then talk to the pupil about what happened.
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“Often their response is: ‘I got that wrong,’ or they are completely irritated with themselves for getting into supervision,” Ms Jenkinson-Dix said.
“Students don’t want to go to supervision because it’s a very strong deterrent. Members of staff analyse the data from supervision to see where the school can improve. In some cases it reveals patterns or problems in particular lessons but often it highlights young people who are a cause for concern, the head teacher said.
“If a pupil is put in supervision more than three times, we put in place an intervention package and do some intensive work about what it is that has got them into that situation,” she said.
“We even do role plays to get them to reflect on their body language and some of the skills adults take for granted.”
The result is better lessons - and more creative teaching and learning within the school.
“We’ve seen an increase in the number of lessons judged to be outstanding,” Ms Jenkinson-Dix said.
“There is a much greater variety of teaching style and technique and students are more engaged. The ethos of the school is completely
