Teach Secondary - Issue 14.6

routines – finds them sound and working well, and experiences respect in every interaction. It’s a bit more authentic than an Ofsted judgement, at least. In-school refusers Alternatively, we could see the supply teacher as the canary in the coalmine. Their work routines, involving stints at school after school after school, gives them a unique vantage point and a chance to assay where the education systemmay be headed as a whole. I was on supply when COVID struck, necessitating that I take a permanent position until last year. Since then I’ve been back on supply, working in dozens of schools across London, of all types and in all circumstances. And between my recent experiences and those of six years ago, one thing has really stood out – the dramatic increase in what I’d call ‘in-school refusers’. We’re all familiar with the huge rise in school non- attendance over the last few years, but those statistics may be masking an even more insidious trend, which is a similar kind of weakening inside schools. Being a seasoned supply teacher, I’ve seen significantly more defiance – as opposed to mere poor behaviour – this time round. Of course, supply teachers are always going to encounter hard pushback from kids, but the scale and determination of it seems to be far greater and more widespread than when I last was supply teaching. And it’s not just for me, either. I’ve seen permanent staff encountering it just as often when walking the corridors of the many schools I’ve worked in. It’s not just ‘pushback’ any more, but a trenchant resistance to the very idea of school . Breaking the taboo Since time immemorial, outside the small percentage of genuinely antisocial pupils every school has, the majority of pupils have unconsciously accepted education’s social contract. They habitually show up for school, since it’s just part of ‘what you do’ and ‘how life works’. They may enjoy it or merely endure it. Usually it’s a bit of both. But it’s hitherto been an unquestioned, grounding routine – at least until now. Fromwhat I’ve seen this year, inmany different places, I’m starting to doubt that unquestioned acceptance. It feels like the taboo against not playing the school game is gradually being broken by the children themselves. A growing number seemingly don’t want to put up with the normalities of the school any longer. It’s as if the jaundiced animus of Pink Floyd’s ‘Another Brick in TheWall’ has acquired some real force. This resistance manifests as multiple examples of poor behaviour becoming routine and going unchallenged. Extreme talking back and open refusals to work. Pointed swearing at staff. Violence, major uniform violations or flat-out rejection. Wandering the corridors during lessons. If there’s one motivating sentiment behind it all, it would be ‘ You’re not going to tell me what to do. ’ Do other teachers out there see the same picture I do?We saw school non- attendance figures shoot up in the aftermath of the COVID lockdowns, which is maybe when this taboo- breaking first began. At the time, it was met with a relatively muted response from education authorities, with this rising defiance now perhaps the inevitable consequence. Or it could be that my own experiences are broadly unrepresentative. In any case, when you next meet a supply teacher, ask them if they’ve noticed anything interesting lately. Youmight find that you get some surprising responses. IN BRIEF WHAT’S THE ISSUE? School absence rates have increased significantly in recent years, but what’s been less widely acknowledged is a growing disengagement among those students actually at school, accompanied by a gradual intensifying of challenging behaviours. WHAT’S BEING SAID? From the vantage point of a regular supply teacher, schools in different locations and circumstances are hearing similar testimonies from staff of students actively defying instructions, using abusive language, not complying in lessons and behaving in other ways characteristic of ‘in-school refusers’. WHAT’S REALLY HAPPENING? One reason for these issues may be that the rupture in standard routines and scheduling experienced during the COVID lockdowns were even more profound than initially thought, and that the caution exercised by some school leaders and authorities when attempting to restore order and discipline following the pandemic has caused a permanent shift in students’ perceptions of their schools’ rules and expectations. THE TAKEAWAY Further data and research is needed, but if you’re a regular visitor to multiple schools, there’s a good chance that you’ll speak with staff who can share similar experiences of their own. Supply teachers are uniquely well-positioned to raise awareness when something doesn’t seem right – and right now, there’s definitely something wrong. Join the CONVERSATION The Academy of Ideas Education Forum gathers regularly to discuss trends in educational policy, theory and practice. Find out more at academyofideas.org.uk/education-forum 13 teachwire.net/secondary H O T TO P I C