Britain’s slide into Lord of the Flies reaches the classroom

[Rogin the Armchair fan]

A good friend of mine is a teacher in Accrington. Very experienced, been in classrooms for twenty years and has been head of science. Yesterday I met him for a pint and he was visibly upset. He’’’d been dragged into the middle of what he described as one of the worst mass brawls he’d ever encountered, and given some of the inner-city schools he’s taught in, that really is no shallow claim. The kids were armed - knuckledusters, lengths of piping - and he said he was terrified knives were going to be produced.

He and a couple of other teachers broke things up and main protagonists were identified and will doubtless be excluded. Sadly, though, the cause seems to have been almost entirely race related - it was the white lads against the Asian lads, in a manner my mate reckons he hasn’’t seen in school for at least fifteen years. He doesn’’t think this is coincidental with the general rise in insipid racism that the lid recently seems to have been prised from in Britain. He’’’s had parents in at evenings complaining about the existence of Asian teachers recently too, something else he hadn’t come across for years.

He was that fed up last night he said like he felt like giving up. It’s a crying shame.

[Antepli Ejderha]

I can only empathise with your friend Rogin, it's an awful time to be a teacher with the funding cuts biting and the politics of the country only adding fuel to the flames. I'm glad he and the other members of staff did not get hurt.

I've lost count of the amount of times I've been slightly hurt breaking up fights and now I've vowed never to get physically involved again. It's just not worth it. In the past week we've had to have the met in three times to deal with semi brawls but we've not started routine searches for weapons. Knives are common and rumours of guns persist.

[Hot Pepsi]

That's awful.
My local school went on lock down a few weeks ago just based on a false rumor that a student had a gun. But at a lot of schools, that's just taken for granted, so there are metal detectors and what not. The NRA would tell you that the threat of getting shot reduces these kinds of brawls, but I doubt that's true and even if it is, it's too high of a price to pay.

Does your school have any actual police on campus? That's now pretty standard here. They're called the Resource Officer.


Is the thread title supposed to be ironic because Lord of the Flies was, among other things, about the nasty culture underlying British boys schools. Golding was a teacher, of course. So it was always in the classroom, but maybe not overt.

[Nocturnal Submission]

These posts have reminded me of an anecdote which I'm going to bore you all with.

When I was a kid my mum used to collect me from school along with the family dog, a border collie. She used to wait for me in a park-like area near the school.

On one occasion a really vicious planned fight kicked off nearby just as I got to her, the participants (from my school) in the middle surrounded by other schoolkids. There were some looks of disgust from the adults in the area but no action. So my mum said right, I'm not having this, took the dog off his lead (leather handle attached to a main chain bit), took the dog by the collar and then, swinging the lead around her head, dived into the crowd yelling "Get out of the way" and grabbed the kid who was losing the battle, and had a chain wrapped around his throat incidentally (not my mum's!), and dragged him to safety.

Magnificent. Never been so proud of her.

The fact that everyone could see her standing with me afterwards and then telling a teacher what had happened, which I thought would probably mark me out for random beatings for years to come, only slightly marred the moment.

[Gangster Octopus]

Apparently it's all the teachers' fault...

[Antepli Ejderha]

Apparently it's all the teachers' fault...

So this is prevent for knives.

In the time since I last posted I cannot say what weapons we've found on our students in case I get caught but one of them is an anagram of arse t. That's frightening. Do the whole staff body know about this? Of course not. Surely this is about duty of care and safety. But it's not. It's about getting the number of students that we permanently exclude down.

[SouthdownRebel]

To those working in schools and dealing with similar situations, you have my unending respect. I could not, or would not be willing to, deal with the kind of problems that you are on a regular basis. Next time I get stressed because a brief isn't clear, I'll remind myself of this.

[Antepli Ejderha]

Any job in the modern world that is performance related with a focus on data but actually involves dealing with human beings is stressful SDR, I really doubt that you're occupation and workplace isn't stress free.

Unless you're earning enough in a couple of years to be able to retire then I've no sympathy for anyone in that position.

[SouthdownRebel]

It's not stress-free, of course, but I don't turn up in the morning wondering if colleagues or clients are carrying weapons about their person.

[Gangster Octopus]

Did anyone see Bored Of Education's post on Facebook yesterday evening?

[Antepli Ejderha]

Did anyone see Bored Of Education's post on Facebook yesterday evening?

I don't do Facebook, could you share please?

[Gangster Octopus]

I'll let him do that.

[Bored Of Education]

Ha, here it is.

That is a pencil nib (?) that a child stabbed into my hand. To be fair, I don't think he went out of his way to stab my hand in such a manner, it was more of a swipe in my general direction. It is actually my fault for two reasons. Firstly, I love a very sharp pencil and had actually sharpened it for him 5 minutes earlier. Also, I have chosen to work in behaviour schools therefore it can't, as such, be seen as a general decline in UK education although such schools are at the sharp end of bad behaviour. Having friends and family in mainstream school, I know that there can be the sort of bad behaviour and violence outlined in the opening post in that sector - especially at secondary level. My niece had her wrist broken trying to break up a fight, for instance.

The special - or Social Emotional Mental Health (SEMH) - school I was at for the terms either side of Christmas was much more extreme (probably as it was serving a more urban area) than the one I am in now. These schools tend to deal with children who can't control their emotions or behaviour 'appropriately' for mainstream schools - rather than having physical disabilities. I have worked in the area before but only for a couple of days. In the last school I had responsibility for a whole class. Well, I say , a whole class but all special schools have small classes with a high adult/child ratio. There is usually a teacher and a teaching assistant for every class of 6-8 children (usually grouped by ability rather than age). However, in my class, there were 3 boys - one aged 7 (the youngest in the school) and 2 aged 11 with myself and two teaching assistants. The reason for the 1:1 man marking and the wide range in ages was that these three were, by far, the hardest to manage and teach. While all three boys could/would not sit down for any length of time to learn and could be aggressive and violent, both of the older boys had undiagnosed mental health issues (one, from experience, I thought was possibly bi-polar but am always wary of lay diagnoses). The younger one 'just' had poor parenting, to be blunt. His mother had mental health issues. All three came from chaotic home lives and the younger one also was flagged up for child protection issues. Just for a wider context, out of 58 children in this school, there were just four girls. I would say that half the school were BME. About three quarters of the kids are on Free School Meals - a proxy for poverty - compared to a quarter in mainstream schools nationally. Obviously, this is only a snapshot of one school (the one I am working in now, for instance, has far fewer BME children but serves a more rural area) but, from national evidence, a black boy, eligible for free school meals with special educational needs is 168 times more likely to be permanently excluded than a white girl without SEN and not eligible for FSM. Make of those figures what you will about what children who are being excluded or transferred from mainstream schools.

Anyway, back to my position, I was told in my first week that I had the use of two rooms as one of the boys didn't work at all well in rooms with the other two, becoming verbally and physically aggressive (albeit the 7 year old would happily wind him up). The other two would usually be ok in the same room but wouldn't do work together. Planning lessons became a pedagogical version of the puzzle about the farmer taking a fox, chicken and sack of grain over the river in a boat (albeit I have never understood why he is taking the fox with him). After I had completed the first week's planning, I showed it proudly to my TA and she reminded me that one of the boys had a thing against touching paper so I was going to have to plan something different from him. As it went, it was all pretty much academic (forgive the pun) anyway, as very little work actually got done. It was usually a case of seeing what little work had been achieved, crossing it off and rolling over the rest. I think we were lucky if we did two weeks of work.

The papyrophobe (no, me neither) didn't do any work at all, whether on paper or not. I was told initially that the way of dealing with him was to try and do work alongside him - on a computer or white board - and, hopefully, he would join in, if not, he would take some of it in, at least. At no point, I was told, was I to compel him to do any work otherwise he would kick off. This meant that most of the time I would follow him around the school as he just walked out of the class whenever he liked (usually when asked to do work). For 7 weeks, I didn't see him kick off - certainly not as much as the rest of the school - and was starting to think that he was playing up to it to do no work. Then, one day, he kicked off and it was remarkable. He destroyed my classroom, attacked another child really aggressively (and me not so seriously) and then spent the afternoon in the grounds of the school with four staff keeping a watching brief for hours. It was genuinely akin to zookeepers keeping an escaped animal contained. He did this fairly irregularly but when he did, it was extreme, violent and destructive. While most of his issues seemed parental, there is something wrong mental-health-wise as well that I couldn't put my finger on. Either that or he is doing a more extreme R.P. McMurphy to get out of work. Either way, there was an element of it being his world and we just lived there. I remember a couple of times when he was systematically and, on the surface, calmly throwing plastic cubes or some such across the length of the room and I had to think how I was going to challenge him about this without it kicking off. Of course, there was no way and he just escalated to destroying the classroom and trying to do the same to multiple staff.

The other 11 year old lad (who also had EAL issues) was the one that we could actually get to do some work. Unfortunately, he could also be the most extreme in behaviour. He was on medication for something but it certainly isn't for the bipolarity that I, with a laymen's diagnosis, was sure that he had. He was certainly talking to voices in his head quite regularly. Like the other boy, he had been excluded for extreme violence. He was the first to physically hurt me seriously when he bit me on the arm. I had actually forgotten about it until four days later when a bruise came up. He also threw water in my face, kicked me and, most irritatingly, wiped paint on a beautiful pink jumper that I had which never came out. However, aside from the physical violence, the more pressing matter was that his behaviour and language became more inappropriately sexualised - telling their staff that their genitalia was lovely, then actually trying to stroke or touch our genitalia or arses and finally stripping naked, pissing on the wall and carpet, sticking his finger up his arse and smearing shit on a teacher (who had to go home, get changed and shower). Thinking about it, my jumper got off lightly.

The 7 year old was, in some ways, the most fun to work withbut this was mainly as he was quite sharp and entertaining. He was, by far, the sweariest child I have ever encountered. Perhaps not in quantity but in quality - he was a genius at swearing. When I got there, I decided pretty much straight on not to give him the 'reward' or being appalled by the swearing. I told him that I had heard it all before and it was actually quite boring. At one point, I told him just to do his worse and sat there ignoring him but occasionally yawning and saying it was boring and I had heard it all before. However, I hadn't as , firstly, he called a "Paki basher" which was remarkable for racially calling me a racist and being unheard of since the 70s, then he said he wanted my mother to sell him crack (he knew quite a lot about my mother, I grew to learn) and, most genius of all, sang "Fuck your Mum, doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo" to the tune of "Baby Shark" which, I have to admit (but didn't to him) I have never heard before. You will never hear that tune the same again, I guarantee. More seriously, his language (and, I expect, violence) came from his home background. What was saddening - and illogical - was the frequency with which he called me (and my Mum) 'nigger'. The most effective - and, it's got to be said, totally unsanctioned - way around this was when one teacher, upon hearing this, got one of the older black kids in her class to play along that he was pissed off and asked the lad exactly what he had just said. The 7 year old then moaned at us that we were going to get him beaten up. I have to say that I wasn't entirely happy with that course of action.

[Bored Of Education]

As the school was generally a place of lots of shouting, screaming, swearing and physical violence on kids and adults, I did wonder whether this poor lad had become institutionalised into this place and caught up with the general atmosphere. However, when I mentioned this to my TA, she said that the 7 year old had introduced the phrase "fucking paedo cunt" to the school - it was also his introductory insult to me. This is frightening when you think about it. What was also frightening was how used everyone got to the daily verbal and physical violence. We had to fill in personal injury forms if we were attacked and, not being full-time there, I made sure I did every time. However, by the end, I didn't bother logging being kicked in the shins. I did definitely log both times I was deeply scratched (one of which I still had scars from weeks later) as, knowing the state of the boys' homes, I was concerned about getting sepsis from whatever was growing was under their fingernails. In the end, I had to get a tetanus jab for my pencil wound this week which I probably should have done previously. Most teachers have some sort of restraint training and I have had two sets of training but felt completely out of my depth at this school as they were a while ago. There are very strict ways of telling children how and why you are having to restrain them so that you are always covered and they are safe. However, when the training happens, it is in a large hall and you are practicing on fellow complaint teachers. Often, in real life situations, you could not follow all the restraint training. This was exacerbated in this school as it was in an old building - not originally a school - that was completely unfit for purpose with open staircases that children could throw things down (although never, to my knowledge, themselves or each other) and little nooks and crannies that they could climb up or under. In these cases, you had to improvise. To be honest, after a start where I would try to stop kids storming out of classes and after other kids, I waited until the more experienced and recently trained staff arrived.

It wasn't all violence and drama. I would occasionally cover other people's classes when they were off ill - and there was a lot of illness. These were blessed relief in comparison as the children genuinely quite often actually wanted to learn , were relatively well behaved and rarely really kicked off violently - maybe once a week per class. I even managed to do some teaching rather than just following kids around the school or having things thrown at me. Once, when the 7 year old was with me in another class, I did some teaching while the main teacher was out. The 7 year old said, "I liked it when you stood in the front of the class and talked to them". I didn't stress too heavily that that was actually my fucking job that he runs out of the class to avoid. However, the reason I was free to cover these classes were that first one then another of the boys was excluded temporarily for violent behaviour. By my penultimate week, we started with three boys, on Tuesday, one was excluded, on Wednesday, another was excluded and, by Friday lunchtime , the 7 year old was excluded for hitting a teacher right after he had been in a meeting with his parents about his behaviour. As the two older boys were on their last chance, they were permanently excluded with only the 7 year old coming back after the half-term break. Even with a new boy starting in the class after half-term, they realised that they had twice as many adults than children and, at half term, they informed me that they didn't have the money for me to come back (especially as I was the only one not employed by the school. I have to say that I breathed a sigh of relief even though I was financially better off as I had uncharacteristically cannily negotiated a higher daily rate - ostensibly for planning but I justified it in the end for the violence.

I had a week after the holiday of mainstream teaching and then got called from another special school - the one I am now at - which was, co-incidentally, run by a mate of mine form football. He has been trying to get me to go along there for a while but, due to a family death, hadn't been there when my CV came up and it was his deputy who called me. The fact that they jumped on my CV shows how sparse teachers for these sorts of schools are, I think. The new school, like I say, is calmer than the previous. Even with it being three times the size - due to taking kids up to 18 and having a residential element, there is fairly infrequent fights between kids (although a lot of handbags and chest-bumping), very rare violence against staff, a lot of teaching and work gets done and it is a much calmer place to work - pencil stabs notwithstanding. Aside from the catchment area, this is mainly due to the larger majority of kids with autism. Loads of swearing still. There is only really three classes which consist of kids with behavioural issues primarily and, again, mine has the most extreme kids which is pretty much why I have been called in. However, the situation is slightly different as I have been called into assist another teacher. It is a far more fit-for-purpose school with large grounds, a modern purpose built building and, also, teachers and departments for subjects like outdoor learning, catering, car mechanics etc. which give the sort of kids we deal with more realistic scope for the future (along with, of course, more traditional subject and academic pathways). Slightly, worryingly, I ended up on Friday (the last day before Easter holidays) with no children in class - one or two due to holidays and illness but the rest as they were excluded (including the boy who stabbed me). I fully expect to get a call in the holidays saying not to come back again.

Oddly, I enjoy the whole experience of teaching special schools in a way. It is kind of one of the ultimate forms of, well, if not teaching then education. So much more of it is centred on the children and, very importantly, your relationship with them - something I am still trying to get better at. I actually am calmer in class than I have been before - mainly as I realised pretty early on that raising my voice or losing my temper would only inflame most situations. I have been with a great team of fellow teachers at both schools even if both are much more thrown together and "make it up as you go along" than I expected a special school to be. The main reason I enjoy it is that there actually wasn't that much of the stress that destroys the enjoyment of teaching for many. OK, it is pretty stressful when you are being attacked with a wooden counting stick or pencil but, that is just the kids and they go home at 3pm and you forget about it. Not only that but, with most of them, you knew why they are like that (I saw most of the parents at the Christmas play and that told me enough). The main stress for teachers is all the bullshit that cascades down from the management, mainly because they are getting it from Ofsted and the government - 'non-negotiables, constant assessment, observations, data logging, etc. Although there was an element of this in these schools, perhaps sadly, there just isn't the same expectations of these kids (and, of course, lesser numbers per class). Perhaps, most oddly, I missed the children in my last school especially the 7 year old and I worry what is going to become of him as he may be unteachable and his future is bleak enough anyway with his background and home life. I was telling a mate my latest episode of violence on me and he said "It must feel good though knowing that you are making a difference to these kids" and, I had to tell him that I am not. I am not being self -effacing or looking for compliments, I know that we are advancing the kids' education along and, often, although they outwardly hate it, we provide an oasis of stability in most of these kids lives. However, I know that I broadly don't make a real difference to those kids' lives as they have too much to fight against - in the home and outside in society - for them to change really. Having said that though, there are few teachers who want to get into this work and I feel like I have some sort of aptitude for it so, despite all the negative points I have said, I am actually going legit and applying for a permanent job at this school.

[Nefertiti2]

Thanks for sharing this Bordeaux. I'm sure you're an important figure to them and that you do a fantastic job

[Bored Of Education]

From the evidence provided, they think of me as a paedo cunt and say that I am a shit teacher. However, I know that they don't genuinely think that and thank you for the thought. They have, however, noticed that I am going bald and have started on that. Bastards. The violence I can take but when they start on my hairline, that is a step too far.

In all seriousness, I am pretty tough and relentless whereas the real issue is the teachers that are giving up due to the issues highlighted in the opening post and, even more often, the stress brought about from Ofsted and the like.

[Antepli Ejderha]

Good luck with this Bored. It sounds like both a mission and a vocation.

I've worked in a PRU for a while and some of what you've posted reminded me of my experience there.

[Johnny Velvet]

Best of luck, Bored. You're really doing society (and those kids) a service and it must take superhuman reserves of courage and patience.

[Bored Of Education]

Having remembered which thread I posted about this on, I am pleased to announce that I had an interview, was offered and accepted a maternity cover job at the school I am for next year. There were two jobs going, one permanent and this one but I made such a bollocks up of the observed lesson (which is one of the least generalised-anxiety-disorder-friendly processes going) that I was more than pleased to get this job. I have been given the wink by the head that most maternity jobs end up permanent anyway. It is going to be working with children who are 'more' autistic and have an identified learning/language difficulty in addition to their ASD diagnosis. This is as opposed to the ones that I am working with now who are 'less' autistic and more sweaty and stabby. I am pleased as, I feel, it will give me more of an opportunity to use some of my skills that I acquired in my degree. Anyway, thanks for all your best wishes.

[ursus arctos]

Great news Bored.

The work you will be doing is vitally important.

[elguapo4]

Good news Bored, an ex of mine is a special needs assistant and I was always in awe of the amount of work she put in.

[Nocturnal Submission]

Great news, Bored. Chuffed for you.

[treibeis]

Congratulations, Bored. Get a bag of pork scratchings in on me at The Hop Pole. (Just say "treibeis' slate"; they'll know.)

[Antepli Ejderha]

Congratulations Bored. I'm glad you've got a job you wanted and clearly love, keep us updated.

[Bored Of Education]

Good news Bored, an ex of mine is a special needs assistant and I was always in awe of the amount of work she put in.

Hold on, "I was always in awe of the amount of work she put in"? One of the reasons for being in a special school is that they only have classes of maximum 8 children and they don't produce much work.

In all seriousness, than you for all your best wishes. As usual, I am now concerned that I am going to get found out but really hope that I can make an impact in the job.