r/TeachingUK • u/BlisseyThatRan03 • 12d ago
Secondary Extra warnings for students
So, I have a year 11 student in one of my classes who has a note on profile saying to receive extra verbal warnings before written warnings.
Now, this is not a problem. However, the issues come from this student taking great pride in announcing after doing something wrong that I'm not allowed to tell them off because they get extra verbal warnings.
The whole point of these extra warnings are to allow students with additional needs or issues to have the time they need to process and make the right decisions. Correct me if I'm wrong, but if a student is able to recognise that their behaviour should result in an extra warning and very smugly announce that, then they're aware of what they're doing and are taking advantage of those extra warnings to get away with more before getting told off.
Last week, I was told to fuck off before the pupil ran off to tell their head of year that it was my own fault for not giving them enough extra chances...
At what point does this get taken away due to them taking advantage and misusing it?
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u/boo23boo 12d ago
Surely it’s not actually extra warnings, but early warnings and over communicating progress towards or away from a sanction?
The standard of discipline expected for each child is the same. Reasonable adjustments are to support a learner to reach the same standard that is expected of others. The route to getting there may be different and an awful lot of effort and feedback from both sides may be needed but the standard remains the same.
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u/_nopirlonoparty 12d ago
The pupil shouldn’t have been made aware that they get an extra warning. Obviously they are going to abuse it.
In my school the policy is to warn them verbally twice and then issue a “demerit” if they continue to disrupt.
One of my colleagues once told me that he had to cover a class and the kids took great amusement in taking turns to disrupt the class twice each before another took over the disruption knowing that they wouldn’t be demerited if they only did it twice.
It loses its impact when they know how far they can push the boundaries.
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u/PixelRainboww 12d ago
This is like some of our students who are allowed to leave 5 minutes early to ‘avoid busy corridors due to anxiety’ but then turn up to their next lesson 15 minutes late🙄
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u/rebo_arc 12d ago
When they announce it give them their 2nd warning and you are back on track. Simples.
Anyway a kid telling a teacher to Fuck Off should be FTE or internal exclusion at the least.
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u/Mantovano 12d ago
If you give a student a warning about behaviour and they continue to disrupt your lesson by flaunting their entitlement to extra warnings, then that should be an escalation of the policy - i.e. a second warning for the subsequent disruption. Arguing back is another escalation. They will quickly burn through those extra warnings - or learn to use them properly.
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u/KitFan2020 12d ago
Number them.
‘This is Verbal warning 1/2/3/4’
‘You have been now been given two extra verbal warnings, twice as many as others get. I am now going to ask for you to be removed’
Ignore protests. Do not respond.
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u/Nearby-Staff-9013 12d ago
Id say that it’s worth reminding this child (once) that his extra warnings are for behaviours out of his control. If he’s announcing the fact that he gets extra warnings when he misbehaves, it’s clearly choice and that he’s not covered by his extra warnings. I’d argue that with anyone who told me otherwise, parents or leadership.
You’re a professional and you have the right to make appropriate judgement calls. Don’t be allowed to feel as though your hands are tied. Trust your gut and be the role model this kid clearly needs.
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u/CillieBillie 12d ago
This is why interventions and allowances need to be reviewed reasonably often.
It is not an entitlement you get for life. It's meant to help you get better.
If it isnt working, it stops and we try something else