Six pupils excluded from Hull's new academy in its first 12 weeks
SIX pupils have been excluded from Hull's new academy in its first 12 weeks as staff get tough with troublemakers.
Staff at Thomas Ferens Academy have adopted a no-nonsense policy towards bad behaviour as it attempts to lead the school into a new era of education.
The exclusions at the Orchard Park academy represent one-third of all exclusions across Hull's 14 secondary schools since September.
Juliet Strang, principal at the Hall Road academy, told the Mail she and the governors were keen to set a certain standard of behaviour from the outset.
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She said: "I want every single student to get the very best from us.
"This means we need to create a good atmosphere for learning with very high standards of behaviour.
"In each case, the decision to exclude from Thomas Ferens Academy has been made in order to protect the rights of other children to learn in happy and safe environ- ment.
"I have been tremendously impressed with the young people who attend our academy."
However, concerns have been raised about the exclusions with critics saying academies should work with unruly pupils rather than expel them.
An education official, who asked not to be named, said: "There is huge pressure on academies to succeed.
"If children are excluded from academies, where do they go? Into state schools, where they bring their troubles and difficulties with them.
"And then, where the academies' results will show an upwards rise, the local authorities' results will be skewed."
Ms Strang said the higher-than-normal exclusion rate had little to do with being an academy and was more about setting boundaries from the beginning of the school's life.
She said she expected the academy would not have to exclude at the same rate from now on.
Ms Strang said: "The reason is not because we are an academy, it is because we are a new school.
"It is no easier to exclude from an academy than any other school.
"Every case is judged on merit, there are no automatic exclusions. "We are bound by the same law as other schools."
Thomas Ferens Academy opened in September under Hull's Building Schools for the Future programme.
The school took pupils from the now-closed Sir Henry Cooper School.
Governors at the academy say they back the actions of the principal, insisting it is paramount an example is set from the beginning.
A spokesman said: "High standards of behaviour are expected from all pupils.
"The principal's decisions are subject to full review by the governing body before any permanent exclusion is agreed, and a full and proper procedure is in place to undertake such reviews.
"The governing body is fully supportive of the principal's efforts to embed high expectations of good behaviour, and recognises how vital it is to do so at this early stage in the life of the academy."
Comments
by fairway1
Saturday, January 19 2013, 12:44PM
“I went to Cottingham High School (late 90's - early 00's).
During the last 3 years I was suspended (usually for 2 - 4 days) fairly regularly because I was, on several occasions violent towards a girl who accused me of doing something to her which I did not do. She and her friends made a situation and 'environment' in class which I found unbearable. Anyone with common sense would have suggested to move either her or myself into different classes to seperate us, but this never happened. Each time a confrontation or fight flaired up between us, I was suspended.
Now I had a job at a local coach firm cleaning & fueling buses at a local coach firm after school, and when I'd been suspended from school my boss always kept me busy with work during the day's I was off from school. At age 15 I was sometimes managing to earn almost £200 per week when suspended from school.
I STILL left school with 5 A-C grade GCSE's and went on to college to complete 3 A levels and I now have a job which takes me all over Europe which I really enjoy.
What I'm trying to say, is please don't write off pupils because they have been badly behaved on occasion, but find out WHY they are feeling the need to be destructive towards themselves. Don't put them down constantly because they've become dissolusioned with the education system but help them gain confidence and help them to find some part of school which they can find interesting & sink their teeth into. Grading a 12 or 13 year old a child failure and condemning them is really not the way to do things. I hope someone manages to understand the point I am trying to make.”
by OhTranquil
Friday, January 18 2013, 6:36PM
“mrs strang resigned from her last school because of protesting over issues . now she is here acting in the same manner as she did at her previous school. parents are anoyed and children feel bullied .i have complained to the school about various issues on various occasions and recieved no reply . its not the childrens behaviour that should be noted its the headteacher herself .”
by Emerald27
Friday, January 18 2013, 10:50AM
“Phil_melton
"principal? there called head teachers. in uk."
All Academies have Principals, not Headteachers.
angeleyes84
My child also goes to Thomas Ferens and we had an issue with bullying at the beginning of the school year. I spoke to the Principal and another member of staff and within a couple of weeks it was all sorted. All concerned were given warnings of exclusion and the parents of the main bully were called in and made aware of the situation. I truly hope the Academy deals with this for you as I know how hard it is, both for the child and parents.”
by susieb10
Friday, January 18 2013, 9:05AM
“Academies only do something that make them look good in the public eye, if your children have bullying problems at an academy they won't do anything because that will appear as if there is problems within the school. Academies think only about themselves not the kids, parents or anyone else, think carefully before sending your child to one of these schools, government run schools are better even though less money is put into them as if you have a complaint you can at least go to the local education department”
by rich99
Friday, January 18 2013, 7:58AM
“no suprise there then...who would have thought a school on orchard park would have to exclude kids?”
by Hullfc4
Friday, January 18 2013, 6:24AM
“Did exactly the same in the early days at endeavour! That seems to have worked!?!
Also the little wasters still have to attend school they just move the problem not solve it!!!”
by qualitychap
Thursday, January 17 2013, 7:59PM
“well done to the head mistress,sends out the right signals,why should pupils who want to learn,be hindered by these little brats,as said earlier,some parents are just not responsible enough to have children and discipline them,so the teachers get a hard time.
bring back the slipper and darkened rooms for detention.”
by Sympathiser42
Thursday, January 17 2013, 7:42PM
“Discipline begins at home with the parents”
by London2Hull
Thursday, January 17 2013, 7:28PM
“I can only think the last resort to save these kids from a life of despair and crime would be to have a military school set up in Hull. Apparently Labour proposed such a policy last summer and I imagine such a school would find favour in the blue political spectrum.”
by Col18
Thursday, January 17 2013, 7:24PM
“The colour scheme alone is hardly going to help calm kids with ADHD /behavioural problems! Bright orange?!”