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Pupils are being allowed to swear at one Northamptonshire secondary school - as long as they limit their use of bad language to five times a lesson.
A tally of how many times the f-word is used will be kept on the board.

Parents of children at the Weavers School in Wellingborough were told of the new policy in a letter, according to a report in the Daily Mail.

The policy, which comes into effect when term starts next week, has been condemned by parents' groups and MPs.

"In these sorts of situations teachers should be setting clear principles of 'do and don't'," said Nick Seaton, chairman of the Campaign for Real Education.

'Everyday language'

But headmaster Alan Large said he had received no complaints about the policy.

"The reality is that the f-word is part of these young adults' everyday language," he told the Daily Mail.

Assistant headmaster Richard White said the policy was aimed at two classes of 15 and 16-year-olds that were particularly unruly.

"Within each lesson the teacher will initially tolerate (although not condone) the use of the f-word (or derivatives) five times and these will be tallied on the board so all students can see the running score," he wrote in the letter.

"Over this number the class will be spoken to by the teacher at the end of the lesson."

The school, which has 1,130 pupils, also plans to send "praise postcards" to the parents of children who do not swear in class.

This is almost too much to believe.

                             

Thought it must be a wind up but perhaps not .......

I'm not a fan of School League Tables and the like because I don't believe they all start from the same level but surely the worst approach is to set "targets" for swearing - some kids will just do it all the more often to see who gets most marks on the board!

Back to the School League Tables - this particular school (actually a technology college?) has very poor reports indeed - I wonder why - and can only feel sympathy for the parents and kids who do care.

http://www.weaversschool.co.uk/images/Ofsted%20Summary%20for%20publication(96).pdf

The kids in question are, in fact, in a specialist unit for children with behavourial difficulties/problem backgrounds.

Typical Daily Mail >:(. Hitler-supporting bag of humanure!

Still unbelievable. What next, sex in class? Why not, prisoners get it.
Screwed World.

Personally I find it much more worrying that people believe what they read in the Daily Mail. 

G xx

QuoteScrewed World.

Don't blame the teachers! Blame the politicians, the parents, Daily Mail journalists, maybe even one's own inaction... teachers just pick up what the world produces.

QuotePersonally I find it much more worrying that people believe what they read in the Daily Mail.

Actually I'd like to retract what I said about the Mail. A bag of human waste has far more worth...

Are you a teacher, TM?  I'm close to the profession myself and I'm with you on this one.  Did you hear the report on PM (R4)?  Chap from SHA was better than I expected.

G xx 

Quoteteachers just pick up what the world produces.

And what do they (teachers) do then?

Got the article from the BBC

QuoteAre you a teacher, TM?

Not a teacher. I hated school too much!

Just easily infuriated by people who don't care (most journalists) trying to discredit people who do (most teachers)...

I did hear PM and thought it was a useful report (i.e. vaguely balanced and truthful)  :)

QuoteAnd what do they (teachers) do then?

Not sure I understand your question Glyn...

Teachers educate the next generation, Glyn, and we have the best ever teachers now - ask David Bell, if you don't believe me.  TM's point, I think, is that they get a bad press (well, certainly in your chosen daily paper) and that they have to deal with parents (thankfully the minority) who quite frankly leave the moral and social upbringing of their offspring to the educators.  

G xx

Don't think anyone was blaming teachers as individuals.  Close family members in that profession and like the rest of us they work within the boundaries set.

Have to agree that in general far too much blame is put on schools/teachers for bad manners, bad eating habits etc etc - all of which should be the responsibility of the home in the first place.

An interesting thread re: teachers and their teaching methods....it's really no different than the dilemna faced by managers in the workplace.  Unfortunately if standards are absent or weak the majority of people will "sink to the lowest common denominator".  I'm sure its the same for kids in the school system....true they may not get the appropriate guidance from the parents....but even inadvertently promoting the use of foul or profane language sends a powerful message about bending to new "norms" that contribute to lazy, unimaginative thinking. It really is my experience that those who stand for nothing fall for everything!  Come on teachers!!!!....give your pupils something to aspire to...they'll respect you for it when the dust settles.  Just  my humble opinion.....Mrs. Glyn

I don't agree with it but I think swearing and youngsters go hand in hand now and forever, I learned my first 'F' word when I was about 7yrs old and that was nearly 60 yrs ago, I picked it up from a school mate took it home and said it to my mum, she chased me round that dining table (do they still have those now?) with a carving knife :o saying she will cut my tongue out if she ever hears it again :o.

Well it worked in a fashion up until I was about 12yrs old and was only used outdoors ;D cause it made us feel big. ::) I started smoking two years later, so fings ain't changed much :-\

I pick my Grandchildren up from school on the odd occasions and brace myself when they let the little tinkers out as I know at least one of them (Not mine) is going to use that word or something worse and I just know I am powerless to do anything, well I'm not, but I know nothing would be done about it.

Anyone watched a child's TV programme? Lol what a laugh (not) often talk, mention, mimic a fart or a belch, ever listened to a modern record? (sorry CD) won't do much good without a swear word in it, preferably the 'F' one.

It's here to stay and I think I can see where the teachers are coming from. :)

Some of kids come from homes where the parents use the F word all day long. Then they hear it on TV all evening. You can't, unfortunately, blame them for using it. What you can do is set boundaries and say that it's not appropriate in school, say. But then you get the class of incorrigibles - I've experienced it many times, and the F word is the least of your troubles. I've had classes where I was doing well if I could just keep them from wandering round the school making trouble, and there's a limit to how many times you can call in higher authority; very often, it's next to impossible to get these kids back for a detention. The line the school's taking is far from ideal, but in my experience, it's realistic, and it's a considerable improvement on some schools, where senior management don't bother, and the class teacher is put in a position where any line they lay down is inevitably going to be unenforceable since the kids know nobody's going to back them up anyway.

Sorry Roy...but I rather think you missed the point a bit....I'm not naive enough to think that kids (or adults) will not behave badly or use language that is best suited to the gutter....but for a teacher to actually think that somehow incorporating that into a "program" will stimulate a positive result is even more naive....I'm not suggesting a panic attack everytime a kid swears...but teachers who find a tactic that motivates their students to even a slight rise above the "common denominator" are the ones who are usually remembered and respected.  "Visionary" leadership is rather scarce these days!...having said that I certainly think that teachers themselves "rise" more to the occasion when their "headmasters" have the wisdom to recognize and encourage that line of strategy...........Mrs. Glyn  

You know Robert, I really take your point when you say that senior management have a pivotal role here....and you're absolutely right that when action taken becomes unenforceable its really the beginning of the end.  The really sad thing is that once something is lost, no matter how small or insignifcant it seems at the time, it's really never the same.  It's not just about the "F" word....there's a much bigger picture here, and if the adults don't get it, then the kids can't be held accountable. 
With respect.....Mrs. G 

Teachers may be very good..

The teaching is awful and chaotic...

This is the fault of the Government(s) continually moving the goalposts, and the laws that favour the bad things (I am trying to be diplomatic here)

Being a teacher today (like many other professions) must be like trying to box with your hands tied behind your back.

With regard to the press...bad news sells and boy don't they make a meal of it

Swearing.. I hate it and the only time I have resorted to any bad language is when I hit my finger with a hammer or something similar  ::)... am I forgiven?

Derek

  Glyn...........if any of the kids have Tourretes syndrome........that could go
  part of the way to explain the 5 expletives a session..... and if they managed
  it they would be doing brilliant.
 
           I have not seen the article mind

I'm like Derek, swear when tent falls down  ::). But when companies use the names such as Fcuk, what do you expect? Complained at my local Chemist and they withdrew it for a week or too. The the label took off and money won the day. Come down on my kids like a ton of bricks if they swear, use bad manners etc. I brought these children into the world, they're my responsibilty, not the teachers. My hubbie is a teacher, their hands are well and truly tied. Lottie  ;D