Swaffham Hamond's headteacher Stuart Bailey said the school is frustrated it cannot move excluded students away from the school entrance.
Swaffham Hamond’s head calls for more powers to stop excluded pupils gathering outside school gates
By MARTIN GEORGE
Monday, June 25, 2012
9:41 AM
A frustrated headteacher has called for more powers to stop students expelled for bad behaviour gathering outside the school gates and misbehaving.
Swaffham police have made targeting disruption by young people near Swaffham Hamond’s High School in Brandon Road one of their top priorities, and the town council has asked local MP Elizabeth Truss to step in.
Nearby residents said they had suffered graffiti, damage to car wing mirrors and air vents, although one praised the response of the school after he complained about litter and smoking by young people near the entrance a year ago.
An Ofsted inspection published in March said behaviour at the school was inadequate, and although its behaviour management policy has created a more settled climate, “the concerns of parents and carers, students and staff are well founded”.
Headteacher Stuart Bailey said current pupils were well behaved and the school’s reputation was suffering unfairly. He said: “What we realised quite quickly is that there’s a group of students out there who can look quite intimidating. They are not our students – several of them are ex-pupils who have been excluded from the school.
“We have no power or jurisdiction over any student who does not belong to the school. The only people who have any jurisdiction are the police but they have told us they are only allowed to move them on if they are causing anti-social behaviour or causing offence.
“I think if students have been excluded from school they should not have the right to hang around outside the school. I think it’s wrong that we are not able to give a banning order at this time. We are frustrated.”
He said the school now posts a senior teacher at the entrance every evening, and PSCOs come some evenings.
In a letter to Swaffham Town Council, Elizabeth Truss MP said the police had a five-point plan to tackle the problem, including delivering anti-social behaviour logs to anyone affected to record problems, and referring any offenders to a local operational partnership team.
She said: “I have spoken to the town council and I hope the authorities will work together to resolve this matter.”
Other News Articles
- Photo gallery: Thousands pull together to fight cancer at Race for Life
- Firefighters battle blaze in barn containing chemicals at Rockland St Peter
- Norfolk turkey giant Bernard Matthews in talks to sell stake in business
- Families going green at Salhouse Broad’s Broads festival finale
- Medal winning cyclist launches charity ride for Norfolk hospital appeal
- Driver rescued after Ford Focus crashes into Norfolk river
- Green Party offer to break Norfolk County Council deadlock by changing decision-making system rejected by Conservatives
- Police search for missing man in Norwich
- National Trust’s new regional director hopes to preserve the East’s treasured heritage
- Emotional fundraiser is in memory of popular Sprowston footballer
ADVERTISEMENT
5 comments
I think it is good that excluded kids stand at the gates of the school that excluded them. When ofsted arrive they have an ideal opportunity to ask an often unrepresented group of people (they are usually on a 'special' school trip during ofsted visits) what they think is good about the school they nearly attend. Perhaps a group of parents can set up a free school at the gates...large tents are very cheap at the moment.
Report this comment
popeye
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
2nd go at a post. I agree with Ingo. When pupils are permanently excluded they should be straight into another school or in home tuition and not out of home between 9 and 4. If a temporary exclusion the school itself should be able to sort it out. The problem of exclusions will get worse as Methwold Swaffham and Downham all become academies. Well known that academies seek to offload their problem pupils to LEA schools so their league tables do not suffer and immediate schooling for excluded children should be available.And how does Swaffham have enough kids who warrant exclusion to cause a problem? As for those who no longer attend a school-that is a problem for parents and the police to use what laws are available to them.
Report this comment
Daisy Roots
Monday, June 25, 2012
ingo - From your message it appears you consider Criminal Damage to property (including cars) is not worthy of police involvement. I would suggest the only way to get this country out of the gutter it currently resides in is to get tough with criminals, not apologise for them. As for trying to turn this into a political situation, words fail me......
Report this comment
becclesboy
Monday, June 25, 2012
Perhaps Ms. Truss could organise extra-curricular maths lessons for them?
Report this comment
Thoreauwasright
Monday, June 25, 2012
It is alarming that the only way excluded pupilsstudents are being dealt with, who, after all, still have friends and play mates at that school, is by getting the police involved. Do Swaffham's administrations, and our out of touch conservative MP's, have no other plans than to criminalise and ban our young future taxpayers, because thats what this five point plans suggests. Were are these pupils going to be allowed to see their school mates? Another school that has no plan B, out of touch with reality outside their fenced in academic bubble.
Report this comment
ingo wagenknecht
Monday, June 25, 2012