Dec 10, 2019, (UK) Wales Online: Damning school report says pupils are at risk of 'dangerous' behaviour https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/education/pupil-referral-unit-aberdare-estyn-17393712 Behaviour of some pupils at an education referral unit is so bad it poses a risk to themselves and others, a damning report from schools watchdog Estyn warns. Many staff at Ty Gwyn Education Centre for 11 to 16 year-olds in Aberdare, “lack confidence” dealing with bad behaviour, inspectors found. Putting Ty Gwyn into special measures inspectors warn: “At times, many staff lack confidence in managing the volatile, unpredictable, and dangerous behaviours of a minority of pupils. These dangerous behaviours often escalate and make the PRU unsafe for both pupils and staff.”…
They added: “Many pupils use inappropriate and abusive language regularly when talking to each other, staff, and visitors." On learning inspectors said teaching is “unsatisfactory and in need of urgent improvement”. In a majority of lessons many pupils don’t engage well and there is “insufficient staff expertise to support the development of literacy and numeracy skills”. "There is a regular pattern of a minority of pupils leaving classes during lessons and disturbing the learning of others. In a very few lessons, the behaviour of a few pupils poses a risk of harm to themselves or others," the report warns. Most pupils have reading ages below their chronological ages, only around half can read simple text independently and accurately, they don’t apply numeracy skills confidently across the curriculum and their ICT skills are “weak”…. The unit provides education for 40 boys and eight girls - aged 11 to 16 - who are going through social, emotional and behavioural difficulties. Most have experienced disruption to their education before arriving and are dual registered with their mainstream schools. The aim of the unit is to help them address these issues outside the mainstream school setting. Six pupils have statements of special educational needs, none are from minority ethnic backgrounds and 59% are eligible for free school meals, compared with the 48% national average for pupil referral units…. They said: “During the last year, many staff have undertaken training, for example to support improvements in their management and understanding of pupils’ behaviour, to develop curriculum knowledge and improve teaching practices. The impact of this training on improving standards of teaching and pupils’ behaviour is not yet clear.”…
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