Latest news with #PepeDi'Iasio
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
School suspensions rise by 12pc
The number of suspensions from schools in England has risen 12 per cent in a year, government figures have shown. Data from the Department for Education (DfE) revealed there were 295,559 suspensions in the spring term of 2023-24, compared with 263,904 during the same term of 2022-23 – a rise of 12 per cent The figures showed there were also 3,107 permanent exclusions in spring 2024, compared to 3,039 in spring 2023 – an increase of 2 per cent. The rise comes amid warnings of challenging behaviour in classrooms following the pandemic. Comparing the 2024 data to spring 2019, when there were 153,465 recorded school suspensions, the figure has nearly doubled – at an increase of 93 per cent. The most common reason for permanent exclusion and for suspension, which means exclusion for a set period of time, was persistent disruptive behaviour, the DfE said. However, between autumn 2023 and spring 2024, the number of suspensions and permanent exclusions actually fell, according to the latest figures. In autumn 2023, there were 346,279 suspensions and 4,168 permanent exclusions, both higher than the figures recorded for spring term 2024. Pepe Di'Iasio, the general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said the figures were 'still worryingly high'. He added: 'Young people only have one chance at a good education, and leaders and teachers are all too aware that missing out on time in the classroom is damaging to their attainment and future prospects.' He added: 'We know that the Government wants to improve attendance and behaviour, but this can only happen if they provide a level of investment that gives schools and other local services the tools they need to provide support to children and young people at an early stage.' Paul Whiteman, the general secretary at school leaders' union NAHT, blamed 'poverty, the cost-of-living crisis and lingering impacts of the pandemic' for the increase. He added: 'Schools can't do it on their own. To avoid suspension and exclusion, they need funded, specialist help to meet every child's needs.' Steve Haines, the director of public affairs at Impetus charity, said: 'Over 295,000 suspensions and 3,000 permanent exclusions in spring of last year is a stark warning: our schools are not set up to support the needs of all students. 'Young people from disadvantaged backgrounds in particular are four times more likely to be suspended and five times more likely to be excluded than their better-off peers – with knock-on effects that can impact the rest of their lives. 'Children cannot learn if they are not in school and engaged, so it's no surprise that young people who are suspended even once are unlikely to pass their GCSE English and maths, and they're twice as likely to be neither earning nor learning at 24.' Stephen Morgan, the minister for early education, claimed the Government had inherited 'a broken system'. He said: 'Suspensions and permanent exclusions continue to creep up, costing all children and young people – and those with Send in particular – precious time at school and hampering their life chances. 'That is why, as part of our Plan for Change, we are turning the tide on the underlying causes of poor behaviour by providing access to a specialist mental health professional in every school and ensuring earlier intervention for pupils with Send. 'Our roll out of free breakfast clubs also began this week in 750 early adopter schools, proven to improve children's attendance, attainment and behaviour and to help them achieve and thrive.' Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Telegraph
24-04-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
School suspensions rise by 12pc
The number of suspensions from schools in England has risen 12 per cent in a year, government figures have shown. Data from the Department for Education (DfE) revealed there were 295,559 suspensions in the spring term of 2023-24, compared with 263,904 during the same term of 2022-23 – a rise of 12 per cent The figures showed there were also 3,107 permanent exclusions in spring 2024, compared to 3,039 in spring 2023 – an increase of 2 per cent. The rise comes amid warnings of challenging behaviour in classrooms following the pandemic. Comparing the 2024 data to spring 2019, when there were 153,465 recorded school suspensions, the figure has nearly doubled – at an increase of 93 per cent. The most common reason for permanent exclusion and for suspension, which means exclusion for a set period of time, was persistent disruptive behaviour, the DfE said. However, between autumn 2023 and spring 2024, the number of suspensions and permanent exclusions actually fell, according to the latest figures. In autumn 2023, there were 346,279 suspensions and 4,168 permanent exclusions, both higher than the figures recorded for spring term 2024. Pepe Di'Iasio, the general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said the figures were 'still worryingly high'. He added: 'Young people only have one chance at a good education, and leaders and teachers are all too aware that missing out on time in the classroom is damaging to their attainment and future prospects.' He added: 'We know that the Government wants to improve attendance and behaviour, but this can only happen if they provide a level of investment that gives schools and other local services the tools they need to provide support to children and young people at an early stage.' 'A broken system' Paul Whiteman, the general secretary at school leaders' union NAHT, blamed 'poverty, the cost-of-living crisis and lingering impacts of the pandemic' for the increase. He added: 'Schools can't do it on their own. To avoid suspension and exclusion, they need funded, specialist help to meet every child's needs.' Steve Haines, the director of public affairs at Impetus charity, said: 'Over 295,000 suspensions and 3,000 permanent exclusions in spring of last year is a stark warning: our schools are not set up to support the needs of all students. 'Young people from disadvantaged backgrounds in particular are four times more likely to be suspended and five times more likely to be excluded than their better-off peers – with knock-on effects that can impact the rest of their lives. 'Children cannot learn if they are not in school and engaged, so it's no surprise that young people who are suspended even once are unlikely to pass their GCSE English and maths, and they're twice as likely to be neither earning nor learning at 24.' Stephen Morgan, the minister for early education, claimed the Government had inherited 'a broken system'. He said: 'Suspensions and permanent exclusions continue to creep up, costing all children and young people – and those with Send in particular – precious time at school and hampering their life chances. 'That is why, as part of our Plan for Change, we are turning the tide on the underlying causes of poor behaviour by providing access to a specialist mental health professional in every school and ensuring earlier intervention for pupils with Send. 'Our roll out of free breakfast clubs also began this week in 750 early adopter schools, proven to improve children's attendance, attainment and behaviour and to help them achieve and thrive.'
Telegraph
04-04-2025
- Health
- Telegraph
One in three teenage girls no longer feels safe at school after lockdown
One in three teenage girls no longer feels safe at school, a significant increase since lockdown, a study has found. Some 34 per cent of Year 9 girls in England said they did not feel safe in school in 2023, compared with 15 per cent in 2019, the year before the Covid-19 crisis, according to the report. One in four Year 9 boys in England said they felt unsafe in school in 2023, compared with 17 per cent in 2019. Declining emotional engagement among secondary school girls is a 'pressing issue that the English school system faces', the report said. The latest TIMSS study, carried out by the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement's (IEA), provided countries with comparable data on pupils between 2019 and 2023. The working paper from UCL researchers suggested that the decline in secondary school pupils' enjoyment of being in school since the pandemic was larger in England than in many other countries. Overall, Year 9 pupils in England in 2023 had some of the l owest feelings of belonging at school among the countries analysed - along with Australia and New Zealand, the study found. Declining emotional engagement A pupil's emotional engagement refers to their enjoyment of school, their relationships with their peers and teachers and the extent to which they feel safe and that they belong in school. The researchers concluded that pupils' declining emotional engagement with school was likely to be a 'key driver' of pupil absences. Professor John Jerrim, the lead author of the study at UCL's Faculty of Education and Society, said: 'The key finding in this paper is that the decline in emotional engagement is significantly greater in England compared to other countries. 'There could be several factors behind this, and the significance of the Covid-19 pandemic shouldn't be underestimated. 'The results we are seeing for girls are particularly concerning, with around a third of teenage girls in this country indicating they no longer feel safe at school.' Impact of the pandemic He added: 'Our research points towards something happening during the pandemic - quite possibly school closures - that has particularly impacted teenage girls. 'This may have particularly impacted girls' enjoyment and confidence at school and their peer relationships. 'What is really worrying is that there are signs from other evidence that this may well be feeding into greater school absence rates amongst girls and on to their educational achievement.' Pepe Di'Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), said: 'We would like to see more research done to better understand the reasons behind this drop in engagement and to work towards finding solutions. 'We agree that things have changed since the pandemic, which disrupted not just learning but also elements such as school connectedness and social and emotional development and there has not been sufficient government investment to help.'
The Guardian
01-04-2025
- Business
- The Guardian
Pupils in England to be taught about online spending and scams
Pupils in England are to be taught how to spot the risks of in-game purchases as well as to scrutinise the claims of influencers in a new suite of lessons designed to improve their financial literacy. The package of 80 lessons is aimed at teaching pupils aged five to 16 how to navigate online spending, after reports of children spending large sums of their own or their parents' money online, often inadvertently. Parents have found to their cost their children often do not realise that special features, extras and 'loot boxes' offering a competitive advantage mid-game cost real money and end up racking up large bills. One Guardian reader recently described how their eight-year-old daughter spent more than £8,500 over 90 days on the Apple app store, unaware that the money she was spending was real. The girl had been sending money to YouTube channels and the YouTubers then befriended her on Roblox in an attempt to make more money from her. 'To me, this is financial grooming,' the parent said. The new resources, produced by the Oak National Academy, which was set up during the pandemic to support online learning, are aimed at helping children avoid such mistakes. Lessons for primary school children teach them where money comes from, how to keep track of it, and the difference between wants and needs. They can learn about credit and debit cards, the tactics advertisers use, and how to keep money safe from scammers. Resources for secondary schools are designed to help pupils understand inflation, personal risk, cryptocurrency and investing. There are also lessons on how to understand bank statements and payslips, and how to scrutinise data and claims made by campaigners, advertisers and online influencers. Parents and financial experts have campaigned for years for better financial education for children to prepare them for the everyday challenges of adult life. The recent interim report on the government's independent curriculum and assessment review noted that parents and children want an increased focus on applied knowledge and skills in the curriculum, including finance and budgeting. John Roberts, Oak's interim CEO, said: 'By giving teachers the tools to provide well-sequenced, engaging financial learning, we can make sure it resonates with children to support them through adulthood.' Pepe Di'Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), said: 'There's a strong case for more financial education on the curriculum in general but we must be mindful of not further overloading an already packed school day.' Sarah Hannafin, head of policy at the National Association of Head Teachers, added: 'Online platforms also need to step up to the plate, however, by strengthening age verification procedures, improving monitoring, providing clearer functions for reporting concerns and introducing more transparent codes of conduct setting out the implications of misuse.'
The Independent
27-03-2025
- The Independent
Pupils rewarded with iPads, bikes and pizza parties for good attendance
Schools are offering rewards including iPads and bikes to children to boost attendance, a report has suggested. Pupils are being given incentives, such as pizza parties and school trips, and are being entered into prize draws to tackle absences, according to the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) report. School leaders should prioritise encouraging and 'individualised' approaches to increase attendance and create 'a sense of belonging', the NFER has said. This could include ensuring that attendance and behaviour policies 'prioritise encouragement and support over sanctions,' the paper said. It comes as recent Government figures revealed that the number of pupils classed as 'severely absent' in England reached a record high last year. Department for Education (DfE) data last week found that the number of unauthorised pupil absences from schools in England increased last year. The NFER study – which explores interviews with staff and pupils from nine secondary schools and survey responses from more than 600 secondary school teachers and leaders – found pupils in sanctions-led schools were more likely to perceive attendance policies as 'punitive and unfair'. It said schools that combined reward with sanctions had seen 'higher pupil engagement' with attendance policies as children felt motivated to attend. Incentives in schools for high attendance included prize draws – with rewards such as bikes and iPads – and pizza parties. In some schools, high attendance was a key criterion for being allowed to attend Year 11 prom or trips, the report said. Earlier this month, Pepe Di'Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), said school had become 'optional' for some families since the Covid-19 pandemic and he suggested that the 'blunt instrument' of fines for unauthorised absences was not reversing the trend. The former Conservative government announced plans to raise fines for pupil absences in February last year, to boost attendance since the pandemic. In September, school absence fines in England rose from £60 to £80, and a parent who receives a second fine for the same child within a three-year period will now receive a £160 fine. The NFER study suggests that illness, mental health issues and term-time holidays were primary reasons for pupil absence in the participating schools. It has called on school leaders to work closely with parents to understand the barriers to attendance. This could include workshops and home visits. The NFER has also called on policymakers to increase funding for attendance and pastoral support to help schools. Matt Walker, NFER senior research manager and co-author of the report, said: 'Attendance is strongly linked to educational outcomes, so it's concerning that absence rates remain high. 'The study responses suggest schools should consider prioritising encouraging and individualised approaches in addition to punitive sanctions.' Mr Di'Iasio said: 'We agree that a one-size-fits-all approach is not the way forward, and school leaders must be free to tailor policies to the needs and characteristics of their cohort. 'Appropriate rewards and sanctions have their part to play, but individualised support that quickly identifies why a pupil is absent from school, and helps them to return to the classroom as soon as possible, can be hugely effective.' He added: 'There needs to be a strategic response from the government to the growing problem of pupil absence, and schools must be provided with the tools they need to tackle this.' Paul Whiteman, general secretary at school leaders' union NAHT, said: 'These findings echo what school leaders tell us about the severe limitations of parental fines in improving pupil attendance. 'Absence most often reflects issues beyond the school gate, like mental health challenges and poverty, and clearly identifying and being able to support families to address these issues is far more effective.' He added: 'If the link between absence and term-time holidays is to be broken, the only sustainable solution is government action to prevent travel firms unfairly hiking prices during school holidays.'
