Rikama Education have reported on exclusions and the use of them within schools for some time now, it is too often that exclusions are used because the educator/s do not recognise the challenges that some children face. Sometimes exclusions, although may not be needed, are used in severe circumstances such as violent behaviour, issues at home with the child meaning they cannot function in a class with 30 other children. A lot of research suggests that most exclusions push the fault onto the child, but sometimes there is more to it.
Every school has behaviour policies that must be adhered to; however, these policies do not like at the wider picture that will govern all children. Perhaps behaviour policies need to be changed yearly to ensure that all aspects are considered. Most educators/headteachers now are in a mindset of ‘me first’ meaning that they need their students to achieve certain grades and our school needs to be in a certain position in the league tables. Exclusion has become a mechanism that enables that to happen.
Research has suggested that all children want to have an education however some (who are high on exclusion rates) detail that they do not value the learning they are receiving. Perhaps the teacher is not considering home life for a child, or perhaps their teaching has grown stale over the years. What do you think?
