Teaching union blames parents for pupil indiscipline

PARENTS were accused of abandoning responsibility for their children at the school gates today as teachers warned that pupils are turning up unprepared for lessons.

Youngsters are arriving late for class, distracted by mobile phones and MP3 players, and without their homework or even a pen, according to a survey conducted by the NASUWT (National Association of Schoolmasters/ Union of Women Teachers).

More than two thirds (68 per cent) of the more than 8,000 teachers questioned said a lack of support from parents was one of the main causes of bad behaviour among pupils.

Almost half (44 per cent) said pupils do not come to school ready to learn, while a similar proportion (43 per cent) blamed indiscipline on the low aspirations of children and their families.

A third (34 per cent) blamed a lack of enforcement of school rules, while nearly one in four (23 per cent) said it was due to the influence of TV, the media and video games.

Teachers reported being forced to deal daily with pupils swearing, chatting and back-chatting in class.

More than three in five (62 per cent) said pupils defied rules, while half (51 per cent) said pupils arrived without the necessary equipment and 61 per cent reported children failing to bring in their homework.

Almost two fifths (38 per cent) said pupils arrived late for school, while nearly half (46 per cent) said youngsters were distracted by texting or taking photos on mobiles.

A further 28 per cent said they had pupils distracted by other electronic equipment.

NASUWT members are expected to debate a resolution on pupil indiscipline at their annual conference in Glasgow today.

The resolution warns that the indiscipline of a minority of pupils "continues to blight our educational system" and suggests many school leaders are "recklessly" abandoning their responsibilities on the issue.

NASUWT general secretary Chris Keates said: "Teachers are not receiving the support they need from parents, school leaders or government to assist them in maintaining high standards of pupil behaviour.

"Parents can't simply abandon their responsibilities at the school gate.

"Sending their child to school with basic equipment, on time, with homework completed and with clear expectations of how they expect them to behave in school is a critical part of their role.

"Too many pupils arrive at school with mobile phones, iPods and MP3 players when teachers just wish they would bring a pen.

"Hours of valuable teaching and learning time are clearly being lost in lessons every day through pupils not being ready to learn."

The poll questioned 8,231 teachers in February and March.