Harlow college punishes pupils for scoring underneath 90% in maths

A college’s coverage of giving detentions to most sensible set pupils who rating underneath 90% on maths homework has been described as “brazenly merciless” through a dad or mum.

Joseph’s son is in Yr 7 at Stewards Academy in Harlow, Essex, and scored 13 out of 16 for his maths homework, which is 81%.

“I assumed [the detention] used to be unjustified: I have labored with kids and I in finding looking to foster flair via damaging reinforcement does not in point of fact paintings,” he mentioned.

Head instructor Stephen Drew – who seemed at the TV sequence Teaching Essex – mentioned the college introduced homework improve and “the paintings is ready at a degree that displays precisely what they have been taught within the earlier week”.

“The academics are to be had all the way through the week – lunchtimes, after college – to lend a hand. We’ve got a homework membership within the library each and every unmarried day,” Mr Drew mentioned.

He defined that the mathematics homework threshold numerous in keeping with which skill set pupils had been in.

The Division for Training steering lists a detention as a “sanction” for pupils who misbehave.

Joseph used to be surprised to obtain a notification that mentioned his son had were given a 30-minute detention “for no longer finishing his homework or to a required same old”.

“He’d accomplished the homework together with his mum. She’d supported him with it, and they would struggled,” he mentioned.

“If kids have made an try to do one thing after which they are being punished for that try, I believe it’s going to have damaging penalties for youngsters’s psychological wellbeing and self assurance.

“It kind of feels colleges are below power to supply very good effects at all times, and that 90% is not just right sufficient.”

Mr Drew mentioned the college used to be below power after receiving a calls for development ranking from Ofsted in Would possibly 2024.

He mentioned: “I joined as head in September and I am very, very transparent we’ve got a vital quantity of labor to do with a view to permit our younger other people to achieve the criteria they’re in a position to.

“We’re doing the entirety we will to improve our scholars.”

Joseph mentioned he believed the coverage have been negative to kids who had been “in the next set however no longer in a position to get the next end result”.

“We need to face the truth that kids – and adults actually – have various ranges of flair and talent and intelligence, and no longer all gets over 90%.

“The ones kids within the center flooring are going to be frequently in bother for no longer moderately hitting the ones thresholds.

“And that might be in point of fact miserable as a kid: looking to do your perfect and no longer moderately hitting the mark, and so having to wait obligatory detention,” he mentioned.

Mr Drew mentioned: “Sure, this can be a problem for younger other people to mention, ‘it’s important to succeed in this same old’, however with a view to lend a hand them do this we’re setting up the improve in the study room.”

The Division for Training mentioned: “It’s for college leaders to expand and put in force a coverage that works for their very own colleges and faculty neighborhood.

“The dept does no longer endorse anybody way to behaviour and head lecturers will have to use their skilled judgement when enforcing a behaviour coverage the place each workforce and pupils can paintings in protection and are revered.”