Parents are voicing their “defiance” over the issue of bad behavior in schools, according to a recent report from Wales’ schools inspectorate, Estyn. There has been a noticeable decline in behavior in secondary schools since the pandemic, with troublesome students becoming increasingly difficult to handle. As a result, there has been a rise in fixed-term exclusions of five days or less from 12,774 instances in 2018-19 to 22,945 in 2022-23.
School staff have reported a range of poor behaviors by students, from talking in class to making threats of violence against teachers and classmates. Common issues include backchat to teachers, disrespect towards staff, refusal to complete work, and skipping lessons. The concerns extend to poor behavior in corridors, mobile phone misuse, vaping, and increased anxiety among students.
Estyn has called on the Welsh government to update national behavior management guidelines as there is currently a lack of relevant and practical guidance to support schools, pupils, or families in dealing with behavior issues. A national campaign is recommended to promote the importance of good behavior to parents, carers, and pupils. The government has acknowledged the report’s findings and has pledged to address declining behavior in schools and colleges.
Data concerning exclusions show a rise, particularly in fixed-term exclusions of five days or less, which have nearly doubled over the past few years. The report has highlighted that the rates of exclusion are significantly higher for pupils eligible for free school meals and those with additional learning needs. This increase in exclusions reflects a growing number of students displaying challenging behavior in schools
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