Learning Support

The teaching assistants professional magazine

Issue 38 Sept-Oct 2011

Pupils with eating disorders Missing school - why it matters so much How TAs get by in the summer holidays

Fair enough?
How to tackle racism at school

Size and strength are often useful.

So is friendly and approachable.

UNISON has over 1.3 million members and is the largest union for school and early years staff. And when we talk we need people to listen. But when were helping or advising individual members, we prefer the more friendly one-to-one how-can-I-help-you approach. To become a member and get the backing of many or the support of one, call 0845 355 0845 or visit www.unison.org.uk. UNISON All for one.

Learning Support
The magazine for teaching assistants

PAGE LABEL FROM THE EDITOR

A very bad idea

6
Its hard to believe that something as cheap, and vital, as a school crossing patrol could be in the firing line for cuts. But the fact is that some local councils are trying to sack lollipop people to save money (see page 4). Some will say that it is parents responsibility to make sure their children get to school safely. But children today are already wrapped in cotton-wool, and dont get many chances to stretch their wings and learn independence. If parents are forced to take their older children to school, many will drive. That means children will get less exercise, the roads will be more congested, and the air will be more polluted with exhaust fumes. But of course the worst consequence is that childrens safety, and even their lives, will be at increased risk. And its not only unaccompanied children. Many parents who walk to school with young children rely on the school crossing patrol to get them safely across a busy road. Our lollipop people not highly paid for courageously marching out into the road time and time again to stop the cars on our behalf. Its hard to think of any service that offers better value for money, or any cut more stupid.

Taking a stand on racism

Racism is still rife in schools, and causes immense damage. What can teaching assistants do to stop it?

What you did in the holidays

Teaching assistants talk about how they made ends meet over the long break.

10

Eating disorders
Primary school children who starve themselves

12

Pen holders
Everyone can make one

16 18

Absent children
You may be the first to spot a serious problem

Evaluation
Jill Morgans latest guide to the National Occupational Standards Update Art lessons EAL 45 9 15 Displays Ask Sue Playtime

22

24 26 28

Frances Rickford Editor

Learning Support Sept-Oct 2011 3

PAGE UPDATE LABEL

Save our lollipops

A national petition asking the government to stop local councils cutting school crossing patrols is gathering strength. Some councils are sacking lollipop people and relying on schools to find volunteers to provide the service instead. But several councils have already changed their plans after protests from parents about threats to axe the school crossing patrol. Cutting their short-hour, low paid jobs (3000 per year on average), is a false economy when childrens lives are at stake, says trade union Unison. The union says the move will encourage parents to drive their children to school, increasing traffic and reducing the exercise children get. Sign the Save our Lollipop People petition

Call for home learning action

Some parents do less learning activities at home when their child starts nursery, a new study has revealed. The results are worrying educationalists because it is already known that parents involvement in early learning has a bigger influence on childrens well being and achievement than anything else. The study measured time spent on home learning activities before and after children got a place in an early years setting. It defined home learning as reading to the child, going to the library, playing with letters, helping to learn the alphabet, numbers or counting,

teaching songs or nursery rhymes, or the child painting or drawing at home. In families where no-one is earning, parents were most likely to cut down on home learning once a child started nursery. There was also a drop if parents started working longer hours. But if they cut their working hours, home learning activities increased. All staff need to be confident about providing early home learning information and advice, says the report.
What can nurseries and other early years settings do to better support parents wanting to develop their childrens learning at home? Family and Parenting Institute

NEWS FLASHES
SEN PUPILS EIGHT TIMES MORE LIKELY TO BE EXCLUDED
Children with a statement of special educational needs (SEN) are about eight times more likely to be permanently excluded from school than children without SEN. Black Caribbean pupils and pupils eligible for free school meals are nearly four times more likely to be excluded than the school population as a whole. The most common reason given by schools for permanent and fixed term exclusions were persistant disruptive behaviour.

4 Learning Support Sept-Oct 2011

PAGE UPDATE LABEL

School meal price hike

The price of school meals has risen in two thirds of schools this term, but most price rises are below the rate of inflation. The average school meal price has risen by about 2.5%, but some have increased prices by much more. The most expensive school dinners are in Poole, Dorset, at 2.50 each. Consumer watchdog Which, who conducted the

survey, warned that demand could fall, and then prices would rise further or quality would have to be cut. Either way, improvements in childrens nutrition at school could be undermined.

ACADEMY GROUP OFFERS 250 TO LOW PAID STAFF

The Ark group of academies has agreed to pay 250 to support staff earning less than 21,000 to compensate for the public sector pay freeze. It is the first national group to agree to pay the money which
Learning Support

was promised by Chancellor George Osborne to low paid public sector workers. Trade union Unison has called on other academies to do the same.

TACKLE CAUSES OF BAD BEHAVIOUR SAYS CHARITY

The governments get tough

approach to classroom discipline could make things worse, the childrens charity Barnardos has warned. A crackdown on childrens bad behaviour fails to address the root causes, says the charity - often a difficult home life and poor parenting.

email info@learningsupport.co.uk ISSN 1741-1990 Cover picture: Hannah Cumming Brightday Publishing 2011

23 High Street, Bishops Castle, SY9 5BE www.learningsupport.co.uk tel 01588 638567

Learning Support Sept-Oct 2011 5

PAGE RACISM LABEL

How do you spot a racist incident, and how should you respond? What you do can make a real difference, says Caroline Roberts
acism is unfortunately more common in schools than many people would like to think. A recent survey by the charity Show Racism the Red Card found that 83 per cent of school staff had witnessed racist behaviour among their pupils. Schools need a consistent approach to tackling racism. However, many staff who responded to the survey said they sometimes felt uncertain about how to recognise racist behaviour and didnt feel confident about how to deal with it. So what should you look out for, and what action should you take?

and has now been widely adopted.

Buried
Of course, some incidents may not turn out to be racist after all the survey found that some children wonder if its okay to use the word blackboard. But if someone feels they or someone else has been a victim of racist behaviour, this definition makes sure those feelings are talked through rather than buried under the carpet. Most schools have an anti-racism policy that sets out what you should do and who should be informed if a racist incident occurs. Sometimes racism is obvious as it involves things like physical attacks, name calling, racist graffiti, refusing to work or play with someone, or making fun of their culture or religion. But racism also needs to be tackled if there's no specific victim present. For

When I asked children if they would use the word chinky to the people in the restaurant, they say no. They do know its a term they shouldnt use.

Feelings
A racist incident is any incident which is perceived to be racist by the victim, or any other person. This definition came out of the inquiry into the racially motivated murder of the black teenager Stephen Lawrence

6 Learning Support Sept-Oct 2011

PAGE RACISM LABEL

Hannah Cumming Show Racism the Red Card. Working with children and explaining why its wrong is much more powerful than just saying, "that language is unacceptable in our school". Sarah suggests that one way of doing this is to talk about how racist language has been used historically to hurt people. "Often teachers say the children dont mean it, or dont know its racist. But when I asked children if they would use the word chinky to the people in the restaurant, they say no. They do know its a term they shouldnt use.

Surprised
It can help to ask the child if they know where that person actually comes from, she adds. They may be surprised to find that they dont come from China. Similarly, someone they assume to be from Pakistan may come from India, Bangladesh or Sri Lanka. As well as tackling racist behaviour and comments, its also important to create a school environment that promotes understanding of, and respect for, different cultures. This is equally important for schools in areas where there are few children from minority ethnic groups. Children in all-white areas

Yes you can tackle

example, a child may tell a joke that mocks a particular ethnic group, put on an exaggerated accent, or use a term like chinky or gypo which is often used as an

racism

insult and a way of stereotyping a group of people. Its important to be consistent in challenging this use of language says Sarah Soyei, a co-ordinator with

Learning Support Sept-Oct 2011 7

PAGE RACISM LABEL

WHAT YOU CAN DO

Make sure you are familiar with your schools anti-racism policy . It should help you clarify in your mind what constitutes a racist incident and what action you should take. If a child makes a comment that could be seen as racist, you should challenge it immediately and talk to them about why its wrong. Where possible, try to make sure that other cultures are featured in wall displays. For example, if you are asked to put up pictures of important scientists, make sure they are not all white. can take on board stereotypes as they dont have anything from their own experience to draw on, says Sarah. Later on they may move away and end up living and working alongside people from other cultures so they need to be prepared for this. When reading with children, think about whether they have access to books in which people from other cultures are represented. Colleagues can sometimes make racist comments too. Challenge it in a non-personal way by saying something like Ive heard that people dont thing thats an appropriate word to use nowadays. Perhaps we should use ... instead. Report any blatantly racist comments or behaviour to your line manager. with other schools around the world which means the children can communicate with each other, share lesson content and find out about each others way of life.

Hair
She says its a mistake to try to be colour-blind and pretend that everyone is the same. Children are often curious about differences, especially if they arent used to mixing with those from other cultures. A young child may want to touch a black childs hair and its better to talk about how we have different hair and skin

colours and textures rather than telling them not to do it. Having an international food day or dressing up in saris can be fun but doesnt mean that you have done multi-culturalism and it can sometimes pigeon-hole another culture as exotic. Multicultural education works best when it is an integral part of the curriculum.

Families
Its the kind of project TAs can initiate or get involved in says Yvonne Swinson, a TA working with a year 5 class who have linked up with a school in India. We celebrate differences and talk about them, she says. But the children also talk about what they do every day, their families and their pets there are things we all have in common.
International School Award Show Racism the Red Card

Communicate
One of the ways that Lindfield Primary School in East Sussex has done this is by gaining the International School Award, a scheme run by the British Council. The school, which has a predominantly white British intake, has fostered links

8 Learning Support Sept-Oct 2011

PAGE ART LABEL

In the
f you are creative and enjoy art perhaps you would enjoy increasing the scope of your role, writes Gill Matthams. Instead of just setting out the tables and washing up afterwards how about helping choose the projects or even devising new ones? Many teachers are only too pleased for teaching assistants to suggest and research new projects.

picture
from the gallerys collectiion is chosen, and schools theme their art around it. Courses are available for staff so if you're interested, ask your school to fund you to attend.

work from local schools. Perhaps they have studied an artist you had not considered, or approached a familiar subject in a different way.

Magazines
See if you can arrange a visit to a similar school to share ideas. Also many of the magazines in your staff room, including Learning Support's regular craft

Different

Challenging
Where should you begin? Use your experience of the childrens work to chose projects they will enjoy and find challenging. Tie in art topics with the other curriculum subjects when you can. So if they are learning about Italy you could do Venetian masks, or if it's Ancient Egypt then you could paint canopic jars. If you are really stumped for ideas for a project, public libraries sometimes display

Trips with the children to view the chosen painting can be arranged, and they have a chance for their own work to be displayed at the gallery. Many local museums and galleries also run projects for schools. Try to make sure each project is different from the last, i.e. go from painting to sketching and then to clay perhaps, and on to collage. TRIPS ARE A TRIED AND TESTED Whatever you SOURCE OF INSPRATION FOR ART choose make sure it is fun! feature of course, will offer Gill Matthams is a teachideas. ing assistant at Orley Farm Each year the National School, Harrow Gallery runs the Take One Picture scheme. One picture www.takeonepicture.org Learning Support Sept-Oct 2011 9

Working
holiday

SUMMER PAGE LABEL JOBS

Emily Host is a teaching assistant at Ashburnham Community School in Chelsea, central London, through the agency Protocol Education. Emily said: As an agency teaching assistant I dont get paid in the holidays so Im working on a playscheme at an adventure playground called the Log Cabin in Ealing, west London, to earn some money. Its very different to my job at the school because theres no structure and the kids have a wide range of special educational needs. You are also working with a different

child each day. As an agency member of staff Im not sure when I am working at the scheme from week to week so I have to be really flexible. If I didnt need the money then I wouldnt work in the holidays and I would go travelling. I went to the Lake District for a week earlier on in the summer which was fantastic. I am also going to Limmud Fest, a Jewish culture and music festival over the August bank holiday in Winchester. I do a lot of composing and the musical director of the festival asked me to go.

The school summer break is a long stretch, especially if youre not being paid. While some teaching assistants used it to recharge their batteries, others looked for alternative work to make extra money. Three teaching assistants from London tell Learning Support readers about their summer jobs.

10 Learning Support Sept-Oct 2011

SUMMER PAGE LABEL JOBS

called Isabella in the Xbox game Dragon Age II The game has a cult following but I didnt realise the extent of this until going online and finding my name mentioned in forums. I get paid in the holidays but the voiceover work really helps to increase my income. It can be difficult juggling different identities but I love both my jobs and actually I feel that by having a variety in my working life Im less likely to get bored and frustrated with either one The voiceover work is fun, particularly doing characters and getting to read lines such as, I will get you, you evil dragon! read a piece you are pleased with and see your name in print. Even if I didnt need the money I think I would still work in the holidays for at least some of time. The six week summer break is a long period to keep yourself occupied, particularly if you dont have children. I know that to some people this will sound like madness but I have been really looking forward to going back to school!

Victoria Haywards job title is unqualified teacher. She works part-time at a special education unit run by childrens charity Norwood at its Kennedy Leigh Children and Family Centre in Hendon, North London. The unit provides support to local schools and Victoria works with teenage boys with special educational needs. Amy Taylor writes: I am a teaching assistant at Crawford Primary School in Camberwell, South London, and work for the agency Protocol Education. I used to be a full-time journalist and in the holidays I try to do some freelance writing to help make ends meet. I dont get paid outside term time and without my income from writing I would barely have enough to live on. I mainly write

Victoria said: I used to be an actor, and I now work as a voiceover artist in the holidays. I have a voice agent and work on lots of different projects including computer games, television and radio adverts and corporate videos. One of my recent roles was providing the voice for the character of a female pirate captain for magazines for nurses, social workers, and teaching assistants of course! I have also done some radio work including research for a Radio 4 series called Devils Advocate. This was great and involved going to Cambridge university for the programmes recording. Journalism is very different to being a TA and I love combining the roles. Working with the children at school is fantastic but it is also really rewarding to sit back and

Learning Support Sept-Oct 2011 11

EATING DISORDERS PAGE LABEL sally pic

Children as young as six are developing dangerous eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa. What triggers them, and how can teaching assistants spot the signals, asks Sally Gillen

All of a sudden she was in hospital and was there for a couple of months. I was really upset that I hadnt noticed

Starving
in secret

oe Bromelowe developed so-called early onset anorexia when she was 11. Now aged 24, she is training to be a teaching assistant. Despite her own experience of having an eating disorder, Zoe was as shocked as anyone when a 10-year-old at the primary school where she volunteered was admitted to hospital after she stopped eating. I didnt spot it. All of a sudden, over the Easter holidays, she was in hospital and was there for a couple of months, she says. I was really upset that I hadnt

noticed. Zoes own eating disorder began after her maths teacher set an exercise for the class where all students were weighed and their weights put on the board.

The heaviest
I was the heaviest. Im not saying it was the trigger or cause but it stuck with me, she recalls. Even though some of the girls were four inches shorter than me I kept thinking that I weighed the most. The teacher probably didnt think anything of it. Maybe he thought it was like putting our heights up, but it isnt the same thing at all. When you think of eating disorders, you probably think of a teenage girl with

12 Learning Support Sept-Oct 2011

EATING PAGE DISORDERS LABEL

FACTS ABOUT EATING DISORDERS

More than a million people in Britain suffer from an eating disorder according to official estimates, and those aged 14 to 25 are most at risk. hollow cheeks and a skeletal body. But children as young as six are now affected, according to a recent study. Researchers at University College London found three in 100,000 children aged under 13 have an eating disorder such as anorexia or bulimia. Zoe insists that teachers and teaching assistants need to be sensitive when they teach children about healthy eating, adding that some pupils are confused about what it means to have a balanced diet. for the child at my school. She was very thin anyway and her friends were talking about how much fat there was in different foods. One of them pointed to something in her lunchbox and said it contained a lot of fat. Over the 12 months to June 2010, 882 people under 18 were admitted to hospital because of an eating disorder. These included children as young as ten. Anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (ENDOS), when sufferers have some symptoms of anorexia and bulimia, are the three recognised eating disorders. There is no single cause for eating disorders. Sometimes they run in families. Some people can develop them because of chemical imbalances in the brain, others as a response to emotional and psychological problems.

Obesity
Gill is a senior member of the teaching staff in a primary school and responsible for Personal Health and Social Education (PHSE). She agrees that teaching children about healthy eating needs to be done with care. We have become focused on tackling childhood obesity, which is obviously a good thing. We assume that children will naturally eat cakes and sweets. But some children are only hearing that

Scare tactics
Some of the scare tactics around healthy eating can cause problems because children hear things in very black and white terms, says Zoe. This is what set it off

Learning Support Sept-Oct 2011 13

EATING PAGE DISORDERS LABEL

fruit and vegetables are good and fat is bad. Gills daughter developed anorexia and, now at secondary school, she is on a diet of three meals and three snacks a day. Gills husband goes to the school every day to eat lunch with her. she says. But Gill admits it can be difficult. People who have eating disorders will try to keep their problem secret and will not necessarily look underweight. Nor will their school work necessarily suffer. Often a child who is struggling to cope with a problem will fall behind. But anorexics, says Gill, are often peoplepleasers who have perfectionist traits. One thing you may look for is a child who is in a ball of tears because their homework isnt quite right , the one who completely overreacts to getting something wrong.

Fatal
Gill says TAs are ideally placed to support children at school who have eating disorders, especially when they are supervising meal times. And they are also in a good position to identify children who may be developing eating problems. Spotting these problems early is really important because eating disorders can be fatal, literally. We had a 10 year old recently who stopped having biscuits given as a treat. Were now watching her very closely,

We had a 10 year old recently who stopped having biscuits given as a treat. Were now watching her very closely,
children are not making a choice. A child cannot be talked out of the behaviours. And we must remember that younger children are affected too.

Safeguarding
Perhaps training in how to spot eating disorders should be part of safeguarding. These

Around the Dinner Table Beating Eating Disorders

SIGNS TO LOOK OUT FOR

Wearing extra or baggy clothes children with anorexia get very cold and they will be keen to disguise the fact they are losing weight Isolating themselves more than usual Thinning hair Seeming to follow rituals when eating, such as cutting food into a set number of pieces 14 Learning Support Sept-Oct 2011 Having strict rules about good and bad foods Refusing to eat with others, for example in the dinner hall at lunchtime Excessive exercising Red or calloused knuckles, caused by using fingers to induce vomiting Swollen salivary glands in neck, which is caused by frequent vomiting

PAGE REVIEW LABEL

Language of

welcome
Sue Ross reviews an eyeopening handbook for anyone working with children whose first language is not English
was once told that people who know three or more languages are multilingual, those who know two languages are bilingual, whilst those who know only one language are English. Harsh words, but often true; generally we arent that great at embracing other languages.

in small groups, sometimes with little more than a few bilingual flash cards.

Strategies
All the more reason then to be thankful for this little pocket book. The different sections are easy to follow, especially if you want to dip in and out of them. Many of the strategies described could be used with the whole class or with groups working alongside a TA or teacher, and the ideas could be adapted to suit any age and ability. Supporting bilingual learners is challenging, but it can be so rewarding. Children from other cultures add value to schools, often bringing a strong work ethic and individual experiences that we can all learn from. EAL Pocket Book by Alice Washbourne. Published by Teachers Pocketbooks, 7.99 There is a free copy of the EAL Pocketbook for the first five Learning Support readers to send their name and address to: Learning Support EAL Pocketbook Competition c/o Linda Edge, Teachers Pocketbooks, Laurel House, Station Approach, Alresford, SO24 9JH.

EAL to feel valued and to achieve across the curriculum.

Isolated
Yet children with EAL have no choice about learning a new language. We expect them to work in classes where they are often isolated both linguistically and culturally. How can we help them to feel welcome and to learn effectively? Alice Washbournes little pocket book may be small, but it is mighty. Every page is packed with useful suggestions for teachers, and for TAs, to help learners with

First language
English should not be the sole language spoken. Bilingual learners need lots of opportunities to continue to develop their first language alongside the target language. They need to be able to process ideas in their first language, then concepts can be transferred from one language to another. In reality bilingual children are not all supported by a bilingual TA. Instead TAs often find themselves supporting bilingual children

Learning Support Sept-Oct 2011 15

PAGE CRAFT LABEL

Make this attractive holder in which to keep your pens and pencils, says Clare Beaton. Start with a mug shape, then try a jug, vase or even teapot, decorated as you wish. What you will need:

Pen holders
small card boxes such as tea packets card paints and brushes coloured papers/magazines/ sticky shapes scissors glue and sticky tape pencil

Start by constructing the box which will hold the pens. Remove top of packet and strengthen the other, bottom end with sticky tape.

Cover three sides of the box in coloured paper. Fold over into top of box as shown.

The uncovered side will be stuck onto the back of the card mug shape.

On card, draw the mug and cut out. Make the mug larger than the box, with a handle on one side.

16 Learning Support Sept-Oct 2011

PAGE CRAFT LABEL

Decorate with coloured papers or paint.

Glue the box onto the card mug, matching up the bottoms so it stands up. Try other shapes

Fill with pens, pencils, brushes and so on. Stand on desk or shelf.

See Clare Beatons craft and activity books at www.bsmall.co.uk

Learning Support Sept-Oct 2011 17

ATTENDANCE PAGE LABEL

Every
S

school day counts

A childs absence from school can be a familys cry for help. Teaching assistants can make sure it doesnt go unheeded, writes Pat Robinson
chool support staff are well placed to spot patterns of nonattendance among pupils they work with. This could be the pupil who regularly disappears when theres a lesson they cant face, the child who is never in school on Thursdays, or the young person who is always late. In each of these examples an underlying cause needs to be addressed if the pupil is to stay engaged in education. for incapacitated parents or siblings, truanting within school by hiding in part of the building or grounds, or take days off for shopping trips and birthday treats with their parents encouragement, the outcome is the same. issued with fixed penalty notices, by the school or local authority, and if that fails they can be prosecuted. If they are convicted they can be fined or even imprisoned, as has happened in some high profile cases. Other sanctions include Parenting Contracts, and Education Supervision Orders, often used as a last attempt to avoid court action.

Criminal offence
Its a criminal offence for a parent not to make sure their child receives an appropriate education. Unless they have arranged to educate their child at home, they must register their child at a school and ensure that they attend regularly (Section 437 & 444 of the Education Act 1996). Parents who fail to ensure their childs education at school can be

Register
Schools are legally required to take a register of all pupils at the start of the morning session and once in the afternoon. The register must show whether an absence is authorised or unauthorised. It is not true that an absence is authorised if a parent sends

Hiding
These pupils are unlikely to achieve success at school, whatever the reason for their absence. Whether they are truanting without their parents knowledge, caring

18 Learning Support Sept-Oct 2011

ATTENDANCE PAGE LABEL

Illness is the only acceptable reason for missing school

in a note explaining why the pupil was absent. Only the designated member of school staff can authorize an absence (Pupil Registration Regulations 2006) and then only according to clear criteria issued by the Department for Education. How much absence before legal action is taken?

The Department for Education recently changed the threshold at which a pupil is defined as persistently absent from 20% absence to 15%. This threshold is the point at which parents can be prosecuted for their childrens poor attendance. Schools will have to publish these statistics from October

this year.

Disillusioned
Why does it matter? Persistent absence is a serious problem for pupils. Much of the work they miss while off school is never made up. Charlie Taylor, the Governments expert advisor on behaviour, puts it this way.

Learning Support Sept-Oct 2011 19

ATTENDANCE PAGE LABEL

As a teacher, I know how the poor attendance of pupils can disrupt their learning and that of other pupils. Quickly these children begin to fall behind their friends and often fail to fill in the gaps in their skills and knowledge sometimes basics like reading and writing. schools allow twice as much time off for holidays and family events as secondary schools. And evidence shows that secondary pupils with poor attendance rates are those with poor attendance at primary school.

Bruising
Perhaps the more lenient attitude to attendance in primary schools is based on the belief that it is not the childs fault that they have not been brought to school by a parent or carer. But intermittent attendance can hide many problems, as well as creating new ones. Support staff noticing patterns of poor attendance should never ignore the issue, even if the classroom is quieter for the absence of a challenging pupil. Absence can hide child protection issues. Injuries such

Bored
Over time these pupils can become bored and disillusioned with education. These pupils are lost to the system and can fall into antisocial behaviour and crime. That is why it is crucial that schools tackle absenteeism. Over the last four years absence rates in secondary schools have been falling as the issue has been tackled. In primary schools, however, there is a less positive picture. On average primary

Support staff are the lynch-pins in helping pupils with poor attendance to catch up
as cigarette burns and bruising take a couple of weeks to heal for example. Children may have become drawn into crime or substance abuse. They may be exposed to dangers when truanting in derelict buildings, empty flats and isolated areas.

Illness
Ignoring a childs absence can mean a familys cry for help goes unheard. The illness of a lone parent or younger sibling can leave no one to escort the pupil to school. Family break-up and turmoil can leave a child stranded. Depression and mental health problems can overwhelm parents and carers, leaving children to fend for themselves. Support staff are often the listening ear, able to pick up early signs of difficulty and bring things to the notice of the right person.

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ATTENDANCE PAGE LABEL

HOW MUCH ABSENCE MATTERS?

The first time I made a chart of pupils exam achievements and attendance rate, I was struck by how steep the decline was once attendance dipped below 90%. And what are we talking about when we use percentages like this? Well 100% attendance for a whole school year is 190 days: 5 days a week for 38 weeks. A child with absences adding up to 19 days (10%) will have missed almost 4 weeks worth of their education for the year. Yet most people would think 90% attendance was brilliant! Of those pupils who miss 50% of school only 3% manage to achieve 5 A to Cs including English and Maths Of those pupils who miss less than 5% of school, 73% achieve 5 A to Cs including English and Maths. What do the percentages of attendance mean in days off for the individual pupil? 97% and above = six days or less absence a year 95% = two weeks absence 90% = up to 20 days off school each year. Thats four school weeks. This will make it difficult for them to achieve their best. 85% is approaching six weeks off school. (28.5 days) Half a term! 15% absence is the new threshold of persistent truancy, at which action must be taken to hold parents to account. 80% = 38 days off. Almost eight school weeks. The best part of a terms absence! They are missing so much time from school that it will be difficult for them to them to keep in touch with lessons and with their friendship groups. derstand the link between attendance and success. Support staff are the lynch-pins in helping pupils with poor attendance to reintegrate and catch up. They do this skillfully by using agreed re-integration language, incentive schemes and rewards, backed up by a daily warm welcome, encouragement, and the chance to celebrate successes. Every school day counts towards each childs future. Pat Robinson is an education consultant

In some schools, they take part in weekly Attendance Focus meetings where tutors go through issues and share information. Support staff are often the people who give attendance a high profile with colourful notice boards to give a strong visual message. They also help at weekly assemblies to show pupils attendance targets and statistics. Ive seen this done brilliantly, especially in Infant schools, and it is one of the things that children

engage with and celebrate. It is hard work to keep this up as a weekly focus, but the rewards are great.

Warm welcome
Its important to get the message across that the only acceptable reasons for absence is illness. Helping parents to understand that 85% attendance is not enough, is crucial. They need to know the actual number of lessons missed if a child is absent for a day, or a week, and to un-

Learning Support Sept-Oct 2011 21

ASSESSMENT PAGE LABEL

Not just a
The point of evaluating pupils learning is to plan the next stage of teaching, and it should be happening all the time, writes Jill Morgan
Evaluation is often seen as an end product we take a driving test after a course of lessons, we give spelling tests towards the end of the week, we sit GCSEs at the end of Year 11 after a two year course of study, etc. And you may say: Well of course we get tested after weve been taught otherwise we wouldnt know the answers.

becomes the starting point for the next stage of teaching telling us where pupils are so that we know where they might go next. And its in this sense that evaluation links up to planning and creates a cycle .

test

Next step
This is known as formative evaluation because we use the information from the evaluation to plan the next step in our teaching. So although we generally think of planning as the beginning and evaluation or assessment as the end of an activity, in the learning cycle they are really both in the middle of a continuous process. If you take a moment to think about this cycle, youll see that its constantly occurring in the classroom. Evaluation helps us with long term planning when, for example, we use the results of a pupils GCSEs to determine whether they

Purpose
And of course this is true. But we also have to consider the purpose of a particular test or evaluation. If its purpose is just to check that pupils have acquired the knowledge and skills they were intended to acquire, the diagram below could represent the process. This is often referred to as summative evaluation, and it serves almost as a fullstop to the process a sign that its done and dusted. However, as an extension to that process, evaluation

n the last issue of Learning Support we took a first look at the learning cycle with its components of planning, teaching/learning and evaluation, with the focus on planning. Here we will look more closely at evaluation. Its worth noting that we use a variety of words for evaluation, and for the purpose of this discussion we can think of evaluation as meaning the same as assessment or monitoring of progress.

Planning
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Teaching and learning

Evaluation
Summative evaluation

ASSESSMENT PAGE LABEL

can begin A-level study, or whether they need to re-sit some exams.

Planning

Adjust
A short-term example is when a teacher evaluates how well pupils have understood todays lesson in order to adjust plans for tomorrow. This cycle also happens constantly, as you and the teacher evaluate pupil understanding throughout the teaching/learning process and make minor adjustments along the way, for example: back-tracking during an activity or lesson to explain a word that pupils dont understand; moving more quickly than planned through material theyre obviously familiar with (when you hadnt expected them to be) taking a small group of pupils aside to review material as you see that they need extra support; watching for signs of restlessness or mildly disruptive behaviour which might signal that its time for a change of pace or activity. In fact formative evaluation of this sort is essential to effective teaching. Otherwise teachers would just plough through material, regardless of how pupils

Evaluation

Teaching and learning

Formative evaluation

were responding. Ongoing formative evaluation is what allows us to personalise learning and keep pupils engaged.

Support
We can go back to the National Occupational Standards (NOS) for Supporting Teaching and Learning Unit 1: Provide support for learning activities for some suggestions on how TAs can support the evaluation component of the learning cycle: offer constructive feedback on the learning activity in discussion with the teacher identify and explain any difficulties you had in providing the support needed share your feedback with the teacher at an appropriate time and place, and in a way that

maintains effective working relationships provide relevant information to contribute to the teachers records and reports. You should be constantly monitoring pupils during your interactions with them, to ensure that you are supporting their learning in appropriate ways. But these suggestions also emphasize the importance of your role as a support to the teacher. Working closely with pupils, you are well placed to provide insight and feedback to help teachers evaluate pupils learning and the quality of their own teaching. Jill Morgan is a lecturer at Swansea Metropolitan University and author of How to be a Successful Teaching Assistant (Continuum Books)

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PAGE DISPLAYS LABEL

Use displays to encourage children to obey school and classroom rules, says Linda Hartley

behaviour
childrens names are written on card and moved up and down depending on their behaviour. The cards are often attached with sticky putty (BluTac). This can be a problem as they can fall off as the putty dries out. Although this system works quite well in some classes it is rather limited. There are only 3 possible levels which can make appropriate application of sanctions difficult. Staff can be reluctant to move children from amber to red as there is nowhere else to go. I once worked in a class where this supposedly simple system was extended so that children would move off the red onto the black backing card and might even end up being moved off the board altogether and onto the window. By this point it was obvious to all concerned, including the pupils, that the system had failed. Part of the problem was the emphasis that this system places on looking for negative behaviours.

Better

isplays can be used to help manage behaviour in the classroom. These come in many different styles and are often chosen on a whole school basis as part of an overall behaviour management scheme. Im going to introduce you to three of the most commonly used ones: traffic lights, peg charts and sticker charts.

Peg charts
A Peg Chart is a similar system but perhaps more flexible. These are often rectangular and usually have seven sections each with a description of a behaviour or state. Children have individual wooden pegs with their names on them which can be moved up and down over the course of the day. The chart needs to be really robust as it is going to get a lot of use. Ideally you should make it from stiff mounting card or possibly laminated sheets of A3. Each section needs to be a different colour, a rainbow theme often works well. In the centre of each section you should include a description of the behaviour status. Obviously these will vary

Traffic Lights

Traffic Lights can either be bought or made in school. They can range from the very simple, just three coloured circles on a board, to a more realistic representation of traffic lights using a long narrow cardboard box and trimming it with black card. Usually

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PAGE DISPLAYS LABEL

more about peg (or clip) charts and how to use them effectively in a free eBook from Rick Morris site New Management a class. It might even be something to consider using when taking out smaller groups for interventions or guided reading. I have seen classrooms where red dot stickers are used to show bad behaviour choices made by a child and sanctions are typically imposed after a certain number is reached. This has similar disadvantages to the traffic light system we already looked at, as it places our focus on unwanted behaviours and can trap children in a downward spiral. The overall effective of whole class sticker charts can be a bit overwhelming. It can be hard to judge at a glance just where an individual child is on the chart. All charts need to be robust as they are more effective when the children themselves physically interact with the display. For the child that repeated physical contact over time makes the connection between the behaviour and the consequence in a way that teacher imposed changes would not. Visit Linda Hartleys classroom displays blog usefulwiki.com/displays

Sticker charts
Sticker Charts are another way of monitoring behaviour by using a display. They range from the very positive, where stickers are added to individuals section of a chart for good behaviour, to those where stickers may be either positive or negative. The charts are usually made with a class list which is laminated and spaces for up to ten stickers. The stickers are often the most simple dot ones rather than fancy reward stickers. Star stickers are a nice alternative. Another choice can be to use a bingo style pen to make the marks. These have several advantages as the marks can be wiped off at the end of the day, one pen will last much longer than a pack of stickers and they can be easier for the children to use. Giving stickers or marks for positive behaviour choices can work well. Putting the emphasis on catching and rewarding examples of good behaviour can be a very powerful tool for settling

with your school and classroom behaviour policies. All the pegs start off in the middle section. Then you actually get the children to move their own peg, when they are asked by a member of staff. Now you see why the chart needs to be tough! The pegs are something the children might like to personalise and decorate right at the start of the year. Just make sure that names are easily seen. Widely used in US schools you can find out

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PAGE ASKLABEL SUE

Football coaches must have Enhanced Disclosure clearance from the CRB

Confused and
I checked out the Football Association (FA) website, which clearly states anyone working with or volunteering directly with children and young people in football must have an FA Enhanced Disclosure (CRB) check to ensure they are not barred from working with children. As this tournament involved children from your school, I think you should

I recently accompanied my son to an after-school football tournament which was attended by children and staff from our primary school. I was horrified to see that another teams coach was a man I knew many years ago. I am aware that this man was charged with assault and possession of drugs. I feel very confused and worried. I know everyone deserves a second chance but should this person be working with children? What should I do?

worried
A

speak to your head teacher outlining your concerns. Schools have a duty to safeguard their pupils and the Head will ensure all the proper procedures have been followed. Incidentally, if you ever have any concerns about a particular child you can always call the NSPCC: 0800 800 500. Or you can ring the police or your local Safeguarding Children Board.

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PAGE ASKLABEL SUE

Can I tutor?

Q A

Ive been asked by a parent if I will give private tuition in maths to a pupil in my class. I could do with the extra money, but am a bit worried about what the other staff might think.

I think, as long as there is nothing in your contract which bans you from doing this, it should be of no concern to anyone else. That said I would be mindful of a few things. For instance, where would you give this private tuition? If it

is in your home you should carry out a risk assessment to ensure the environment is safe. What about insurance? If the child has an accident on your premises do you have adequate cover? Who else will be there? You must protect yourself from allegations of abuse by never being alone with a child. I realise that the extra money will be useful, and I believe rates of pay for private tutors can be generous, even after declaring them to the tax office, which of course you must do.

Sue Ross is a TA assessor who used to be a teaching assistant herself. If you have a question you would like Sue to answer, please email her at:
sue.ross@learningsupport.co.uk

Private tuition can be a useful source of extra money

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PLAYTIME

lunchtime
matter

Making

A well thought-out policy can make the midday break better for everyone, says Rachel Maflin

very school should have a lunchtime policy. This sets out how the whole lunchtime experience is to be managed and shows that the school has carefully thought about this very important part of the day. Here are some of the points your schools lunchtime policy could cover Lunch and how this will be managed. Where will children eat, and when?

Try to make the whole experience enjoyable. Could the dining hall be more attractive? Can lunch be eaten outside in summer? Are children subject to unnecessary restrictions or expectations, for example sitting in silence while eating lunch? Behaviour. A clear lunchtime behaviour policy should state boundaries and outline the systems for managing behaviour.

Staff should encourage children to solve their own disputes and support them in negotiation. One member of staff should not be allowed to make up new rules, for example banning football, without a discussion with the whole staff team. This avoids rash decisions being made without proper consultation. A behaviour policy needs to acknowledge that one of the main

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PLAYTIME
causes of problems in the playground is boredom. If children are happily engaged in play, then the lunchtime supervisors job is likely to be much easier. Resources and equipment. How will these be set up at the beginning of lunchtime and what are the arrangements for storage of resources at the end of the session? How will this work in practice, how much time will be needed, and who buys new resources when needed? Accidents who deals with them, in what circumstances will parent/ carers be informed, and how. Who is the leader of the lunchtime supervisors? A named supervisor in charge not only supervises the staff team, but can plan meetings and discussions to ensure good communication. There should also be a clear line management structure for lunchtime. When communication fails, quite minor problems can escalate if they are not addressed promptly by senior members of staff. A clear explanation of the role and job of lunchtime staff for the benefit of senior management and teachers. This would help ensure other staff are supportive of them, and do not undermine their decisions in front of children or parents. Childrens play is constantly changing and moving and so the supervision

Supervisors are there to help children play, offering support when necessary
needs to be equally fluid. Supervisors are there to help children to play, offering support when necessary, so that every child can make the most of the opportunities on offer.

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