Babies are born completely dependent on adults for all their needs to be met. As they grow they develop physically, developing motor skills, which are continually refined until full maturity is reached. Children start to talk from around 1 year progressing from babbling to using simple words, building on their vocabulary and gradually learning to communicate effectively. Many older children learn to speak a second language.
Young people learn skills that are not solely academic, they learn how to behave in social settings. Their emotional development means that children go from being completely self centred and insular to developing a strong sense of identity and confidence.
It is usual for children to be educated in different schools appropriate to their age, throughout their academic career. Many experience nursery or pre-school then move on to schools, with some extending their school years by attending colleges or universities.
Young people experience the physical and emotional changes that are associated with puberty. Often they become insecure, due to the changes in appearance of their bodies, and emotionally volatile with the increase of hormones required to develop into mature adulthood.These are some of the natural transitions that the majority of children and young people experience and with support they come through them able to cope with the changes.
A few young people will experience transitions specific to them, which may result in them not reaching their expected developmental targets at the usual time. There are many factors which affect the development of children and these examples are not exhaustive.
Disability, due to accident or illness, may result in poor attendance at school and feelings of insecurity as they watch their peers participate in activities that they cannot join in with. An accident resulting in damage to the brain may mean that a child regresses to an earlier phase of life, with intellectual development being stunted or even regressed.
There may be a long-term or terminal illness of a family member that brings difficulties for children. They may have to take absences from school to assist with care. Children may be concerned about death, or worry that they themselves will become ill resulting in lack of concentration.
The bereavement of a close relative can cause children to worry about their other family members, although, sometimes they may appear to have been unaffected by the death.
Another transition that children and young people find themselves having to cope with is the separation or divorce of their parents. These children are often confused, possibly having to act as mediators between parents.Children experiencing different transitions in their lives will often require different support. It is important to identify their needs and provide the support so as they reach their full potential.
D Worthington
Wednesday, 9 November 2011
Changing times - unique transitions for children
Bereavement
If a child suffers bereavement this will be a transition that only they will understand, they will have to cope with emotional changes, they may become very shy and quiet, they may not want to talk yet at the same time still feel included, if mum has passed on they could revert back to becoming daddy’s girl /mummy’s boy , the child will need to be listen to so that when they are ready to talk will know someone will listen, they should be treated like any normal child not abnormal even though something horrible has happened.
Divorce
If a child parents separate or divorce this will be a huge transition for the child they will feel they are being torn apart, being a go between mum and dad, they would have to grow up that much faster, the son will take on the role of being the man about the house if dad has left and vice versa for the girl if mum left, they could become sad and lonely always thinking it could be there fault, this could affect their friendships at school and they can become withdrawn, they will always have to pick sides, and this could lead to the child not feeling wanted and not completely sure who to trust.
Violence
If a child has the misfortune to witness violence towards their mother that transition will be one of many that they have to cope with. The need to move them as far away as possible, leaving behind friend’s toys, and family will have the biggest effect on a child. For child A it did, she blamed mum for everything , once a sweet seven year old, turned in the ugliest child imaginable, she started to steal ,swear, kick punch and all at her mum, she could not get the fact that had her mum not done what she did, the repercussions could have been really dangerous. She had so much hatred so much so she was not allowed to go to school, because of fear of what she would to other children, she was home schooled for six months as well as seeing a councillor she was slowly coming to terms with new life, but it is always about her, she refuses to share anything she always has to be first, she has very low self esteem, she trusts no one.
R Fairless
If a child suffers bereavement this will be a transition that only they will understand, they will have to cope with emotional changes, they may become very shy and quiet, they may not want to talk yet at the same time still feel included, if mum has passed on they could revert back to becoming daddy’s girl /mummy’s boy , the child will need to be listen to so that when they are ready to talk will know someone will listen, they should be treated like any normal child not abnormal even though something horrible has happened.
Divorce
If a child parents separate or divorce this will be a huge transition for the child they will feel they are being torn apart, being a go between mum and dad, they would have to grow up that much faster, the son will take on the role of being the man about the house if dad has left and vice versa for the girl if mum left, they could become sad and lonely always thinking it could be there fault, this could affect their friendships at school and they can become withdrawn, they will always have to pick sides, and this could lead to the child not feeling wanted and not completely sure who to trust.
Violence
If a child has the misfortune to witness violence towards their mother that transition will be one of many that they have to cope with. The need to move them as far away as possible, leaving behind friend’s toys, and family will have the biggest effect on a child. For child A it did, she blamed mum for everything , once a sweet seven year old, turned in the ugliest child imaginable, she started to steal ,swear, kick punch and all at her mum, she could not get the fact that had her mum not done what she did, the repercussions could have been really dangerous. She had so much hatred so much so she was not allowed to go to school, because of fear of what she would to other children, she was home schooled for six months as well as seeing a councillor she was slowly coming to terms with new life, but it is always about her, she refuses to share anything she always has to be first, she has very low self esteem, she trusts no one.
R Fairless
The defensive classroom
Defence mechanisms-
Denial-This is when a child has gone through a bad or painful experience such as abuse of any kind or bereavement of a close family member. The child will choose to refuse to acknowledge it ever happened. This is said to be the earliest of the defence mechanisms learnt by a child.
Regression- This is when the child finds it difficult to deal with a situation such as fear,anger or puberty and may start to act child like (early childhood) this can be exhibited in some obvious ways such as bed wetting or becoming clingy to others.
Acting out- This defence is probably the most physical because the child will throw things or can be aggressive towards others. The child’s' anger is usually due to not getting its own way in a situation,so has a temper tantrum. It can also be through a new sibling arriving to take some of the attention away from said child. Self-harming can be a problem if the child cannot express its feelings in the right way (discussing worries).
Dissociation- This is when the child may have experienced a difficult situation,again abuse of any kind,the child will make up a new persona for themselves so the abuse is not happening to them but someone else. This can lead to multiple personality disorder in later years if not confronted and dealt with in the correct way.
Projection- This is when the child will blame somebody else for what may be happening to them. In some cases this can result in the child becoming a bully. This is their way of expressing emotions but not in an appropriate way.
Repression- This is when the child will just forget what has happened to them because they have pushed it into their unconscious mind,but this doesn’t always work as the memories can come back if the child experiences a similar situation.
Rationalization- This is when the child will refocus intently on another activity such as school work to try and work through the initial problem or to forget completely. This could be an emotional problem or problems at home. This can work but usually leads to added anxiety and stress for the child if help is not sought.
With all of these defences if the correct help is not sought in the early stages these problems can intensify in later life,leading to social(crime and violent behaviour) and psychological problems(disorders,self-harming or sexual deviancy). Observing(assessments in the classroom) listening to the child interacting with others are ways to pick up on any problems at the important early stages,then can be worked on and hopefully solved. 'Time to talk' is a scheme in which teachers,support workers can observe a child on a 1-1 basis,the child has a chance to express their feelings,but are also taught social skills e.g. appropriate ways of saying or doing things(manners),how to interact with other children(sharing and caring) I feel this should be compulsory in every school on every level as problems could be picked up a lot quicker which is a benefit to the child.
K Brinkhurst
Denial-This is when a child has gone through a bad or painful experience such as abuse of any kind or bereavement of a close family member. The child will choose to refuse to acknowledge it ever happened. This is said to be the earliest of the defence mechanisms learnt by a child.
Regression- This is when the child finds it difficult to deal with a situation such as fear,anger or puberty and may start to act child like (early childhood) this can be exhibited in some obvious ways such as bed wetting or becoming clingy to others.
Acting out- This defence is probably the most physical because the child will throw things or can be aggressive towards others. The child’s' anger is usually due to not getting its own way in a situation,so has a temper tantrum. It can also be through a new sibling arriving to take some of the attention away from said child. Self-harming can be a problem if the child cannot express its feelings in the right way (discussing worries).
Dissociation- This is when the child may have experienced a difficult situation,again abuse of any kind,the child will make up a new persona for themselves so the abuse is not happening to them but someone else. This can lead to multiple personality disorder in later years if not confronted and dealt with in the correct way.
Projection- This is when the child will blame somebody else for what may be happening to them. In some cases this can result in the child becoming a bully. This is their way of expressing emotions but not in an appropriate way.
Repression- This is when the child will just forget what has happened to them because they have pushed it into their unconscious mind,but this doesn’t always work as the memories can come back if the child experiences a similar situation.
Rationalization- This is when the child will refocus intently on another activity such as school work to try and work through the initial problem or to forget completely. This could be an emotional problem or problems at home. This can work but usually leads to added anxiety and stress for the child if help is not sought.
With all of these defences if the correct help is not sought in the early stages these problems can intensify in later life,leading to social(crime and violent behaviour) and psychological problems(disorders,self-harming or sexual deviancy). Observing(assessments in the classroom) listening to the child interacting with others are ways to pick up on any problems at the important early stages,then can be worked on and hopefully solved. 'Time to talk' is a scheme in which teachers,support workers can observe a child on a 1-1 basis,the child has a chance to express their feelings,but are also taught social skills e.g. appropriate ways of saying or doing things(manners),how to interact with other children(sharing and caring) I feel this should be compulsory in every school on every level as problems could be picked up a lot quicker which is a benefit to the child.
K Brinkhurst
The Responsible Organisation
Children are viewed as the most important people in the school dynamic, schools centre around the child to fulfil their needs. They are minors and can’t really speak for themselves, so their needs and rights need protecting, legislation/policies/procedures are put in place to ensure this. Schools play an important role in The Children’s Act 1989 by following the guidelines to ensure they uphold every child’s right to feel safe in their environment. The school takes responsibility to identify any child who is not safe in their environment. This could be within the family home, should a problem be identified the school are duty bound to relay issues to the relevant authority/agency. The Human Rights Act 1998 is supported by implementing policies such as anti-bullying or health and safety. The Act protects children against corporal punishment which is an infringement of their rights, the schools role is to uphold these rights. Daily the Data Protection Act comes into force, confidential and personal information is collated and used frequently in schools.
Staff play an important role ensuring confidentiality. They deal responsibly with attendance records, exam results, medical information and make sure it is only used for intended purpose. The age of legal capacity 1991/Gallick competence, allows a child to consent to a medical procedure/intervention under the age of 16 without parental/carer consent. Schools support this by assesing if the child is capable of understanding the nature of possible consequences. A school may need to take on this role, if, for instance a child is self-harming, self harming behaviours are by nature secretative and a parent/carer will often not be aware what is happening, some young people may talk to a trusted professional in school, the school then need to take on this role and responsibility.
The Children and Young Persons Act 1933/2008 makes it unlawful to wilfully abandon and neglect a child in a manner likely to cause unnecessary suffering or injury to health, the school need to take responsibility for the act in various ways. For example, a teacher would have knowledge of any pupil’s health problems such as asthma or maybe allergies. Staff need to take responsibility for those pupils. Should a child suffer an asthma attack, the correct course of action needs to be followed. With a known allergy, such as a food allergy, if the teacher gives a child the inappropriate foods, they could be charged with wilful neglect. Schools also need to make sure that they provide adequate care regarding welfare and standards, to include the environment or attainment of pupils within the establishment, be that in the playground or in the school classroom. Under the regulation of care act, a school that does not take on the role can have its premises closed down. The school has to follow guidelines carefully and make sure it adheres to the standards/regulations set, and has adequate provision and maintains its standards.
S Crowe
Staff play an important role ensuring confidentiality. They deal responsibly with attendance records, exam results, medical information and make sure it is only used for intended purpose. The age of legal capacity 1991/Gallick competence, allows a child to consent to a medical procedure/intervention under the age of 16 without parental/carer consent. Schools support this by assesing if the child is capable of understanding the nature of possible consequences. A school may need to take on this role, if, for instance a child is self-harming, self harming behaviours are by nature secretative and a parent/carer will often not be aware what is happening, some young people may talk to a trusted professional in school, the school then need to take on this role and responsibility.
The Children and Young Persons Act 1933/2008 makes it unlawful to wilfully abandon and neglect a child in a manner likely to cause unnecessary suffering or injury to health, the school need to take responsibility for the act in various ways. For example, a teacher would have knowledge of any pupil’s health problems such as asthma or maybe allergies. Staff need to take responsibility for those pupils. Should a child suffer an asthma attack, the correct course of action needs to be followed. With a known allergy, such as a food allergy, if the teacher gives a child the inappropriate foods, they could be charged with wilful neglect. Schools also need to make sure that they provide adequate care regarding welfare and standards, to include the environment or attainment of pupils within the establishment, be that in the playground or in the school classroom. Under the regulation of care act, a school that does not take on the role can have its premises closed down. The school has to follow guidelines carefully and make sure it adheres to the standards/regulations set, and has adequate provision and maintains its standards.
S Crowe
Bumps along the road to development
There are many reasons why children and young people’s development may not follow the expected pattern.
A baby’s development could be affected straight from birth, if the mother is alcohol dependent the baby develops foetal alcohol syndrome. This can either cause short or long term memory loss. Also by following the sequence of a baby’s development you look at the rate on how they’re developing through the physical motor skills, social and cognitive and language skill. Now, if for example a baby does not start to walk (motor skill) by the age of 2yrs there could be something wrong with its motor skill as by 2yrs a baby should be able to walk. Another example if a baby can not say a couple of words by the ages of 2-3yrs once again there could be something wrong with its language skills.
These problems have to be flagged up with either a health visitor or doctor. If there is a slight delay in the development the baby may have special needs in some areas of their development, if they do they would be closely monitored. Sometimes there may not be anything necessarily wrong it just may mean a slight delay in the baby’s development as most babies develop at a different rate.
Children’s and young people’s development continues to be monitored at school.
Some children’s problems in their development may not be picked up straight away when they’re at school. This would often mean they get behind on their work and they would most often find it difficult to catch up.
Compared to special needs schools where teachers are trained to teach special needs children, teachers in other schools may not have the skill to teach children who may have behavioural difficulties, communication needs, physical disabilities, learning disabilities and special educational needs so this means the children’s learning gets behind. Also the school may not have a budget to get a TA for each child’s individual learning needs and resources may be inadequate for them to use. Another personal factor is if a child who may have special needs could be taken out of lesson if they have to monthly check up’s at the hospital, or have to have constant physio therapy or anything else to do with medical matters. This means once again by missing lessons their learning gets behind.
External problems are another factor why some children’s and young people’s development may not follow an expected pattern. For example a child or young person may have constant pressure from their parent/s to do well in their education. As for this a child or young person may rebel which may affect their learning. To support what I have just mentioned I read in a recent newspaper article that parents are desperate for their children to attend grammar school. In order for their child/children to pass their entrance exam their parent/s hire private tutors so their child/children can have extra tuition lessons after school, weekends and during school holidays. By placing this pressure on them some children begin to rebel or become too anxious to sit the exam.
More children’s and young people’s social interaction is suffering these days as as more children watch too much television or play computer games they’re not encouraged enough to socialise with other people their own age.
A Marenetto
A baby’s development could be affected straight from birth, if the mother is alcohol dependent the baby develops foetal alcohol syndrome. This can either cause short or long term memory loss. Also by following the sequence of a baby’s development you look at the rate on how they’re developing through the physical motor skills, social and cognitive and language skill. Now, if for example a baby does not start to walk (motor skill) by the age of 2yrs there could be something wrong with its motor skill as by 2yrs a baby should be able to walk. Another example if a baby can not say a couple of words by the ages of 2-3yrs once again there could be something wrong with its language skills.
These problems have to be flagged up with either a health visitor or doctor. If there is a slight delay in the development the baby may have special needs in some areas of their development, if they do they would be closely monitored. Sometimes there may not be anything necessarily wrong it just may mean a slight delay in the baby’s development as most babies develop at a different rate.
Children’s and young people’s development continues to be monitored at school.
Some children’s problems in their development may not be picked up straight away when they’re at school. This would often mean they get behind on their work and they would most often find it difficult to catch up.
Compared to special needs schools where teachers are trained to teach special needs children, teachers in other schools may not have the skill to teach children who may have behavioural difficulties, communication needs, physical disabilities, learning disabilities and special educational needs so this means the children’s learning gets behind. Also the school may not have a budget to get a TA for each child’s individual learning needs and resources may be inadequate for them to use. Another personal factor is if a child who may have special needs could be taken out of lesson if they have to monthly check up’s at the hospital, or have to have constant physio therapy or anything else to do with medical matters. This means once again by missing lessons their learning gets behind.
External problems are another factor why some children’s and young people’s development may not follow an expected pattern. For example a child or young person may have constant pressure from their parent/s to do well in their education. As for this a child or young person may rebel which may affect their learning. To support what I have just mentioned I read in a recent newspaper article that parents are desperate for their children to attend grammar school. In order for their child/children to pass their entrance exam their parent/s hire private tutors so their child/children can have extra tuition lessons after school, weekends and during school holidays. By placing this pressure on them some children begin to rebel or become too anxious to sit the exam.
More children’s and young people’s social interaction is suffering these days as as more children watch too much television or play computer games they’re not encouraged enough to socialise with other people their own age.
A Marenetto
A Helping Hand (or keyboard)
There are many interventions that can be used when a child is not developing in the expected pattern. Some of these include: ICT; role play; writing frames; one to one support; peer tutoring; games; speakers; special classes; and reduced timetables.
ICT can be used in a number of ways to support children who may be not be developing in the expected pattern. There may be programmes that help to develop specific skills, for example it may be a game designed to improve memory, or it may be a game to improve recognition of objects and words. ICT is also useful for children who have difficulties with writing. This could be because of sequencing issues, or co-ordination issues which makes it difficult to write with a pen and typing allows them to communicate their ideas.
ICT if used correctly can be a great support to children who are not developing in the expected pattern. It can help them to learn new skills, and will also help refine the ones they have, for example with object recognition a programme can teach new objects as well as consolidate their knowledge that they have. It can also increase confidence and make children less frustrated as they are able to communicate their ideas and show their knowledge, and they are able to keep up with their peers. For children who may have problems with their fine motor skills, it is a good way for them to communicate, especially if there are also speech problems.
However, there can also be some drawbacks with the use of ICT. IT may not always help with confidence, if a child with problems with their fine motor skills, they may click on something they didn’t mean to, and require adult intervention to sort things out. If this keeps happening then it can damage their confidence. It may also be an issue if the problems are picked up on by their peers, as they can make fun of the child, and further undermine their confidence.
There are also issues with children who are autistic becoming too fixated on using a computer, and using it to escape human interaction. Another problem is if the child has limited keyboard skills then they can become frustrated at the length of time it takes to type. If there is also the need for adult intervention then it can take even longer, and make the child even more frustrated. In addition to this, there may be issues with children not using the computer as intended and simply messing about on them (SCOTEN, 2009).
One to one support is another intervention that has proved to be a positive intervention. One to one support for children may be by the use of a teaching assistant within the classroom that works with one child in particular, or it may include additional lessons that a child may have to catch up on their work.
A benefit to one to one support in the classroom is that the child is still within the classroom setting, and is not excluded from their peers. This helps with any social problems the child may have, and there is also the benefit that the other children may accept them more, and this in turn teaches tolerance and acceptance. Another benefit is having the support of a dedicated member of staff can enhance the child’s learning and their self esteem. Also, if a child requires additional help, then there may be one to one support outside of the classroom. This is beneficial because it enables children to catch up with the work thats been set, or do different work to the rest of the class without the distractions of the classroom.
However, if a child is being taken out of class for one to one support, then it is important that this does not occur too often. This is because it can have an impact on the child’s social development, some learning in the classroom comes from peer interaction, and if a child is being taken away from this then they are missing out on vital socialisation. Also, if the lessons are additional then the child may be missing out on fun activities such as art or music. This can lead to the child feeling resentful, and again can lead to further social exclusion, as the child is not taking part in any activities with other children and therefore has fewer shared experiences which they can relate to. It also means that the child may not learn how to interact with other children in an educational setting, for example, learning to listen to others and taking turns.
One to one support in the classroom also has its negatives. If done correctly then it can be a great way of helping children learn and develop. However, if not done properly one to one support can hinder learning as it can lead to children not being able to learn independently as they always have a staff member to guide them through any problems they may encounter. Also, if a child spends most of their time with a teaching assistant, then they can become distanced from the teacher and the curriculum and therefore falling further behind with their learning (Teaching Times, 2011).
H Chapman
ICT can be used in a number of ways to support children who may be not be developing in the expected pattern. There may be programmes that help to develop specific skills, for example it may be a game designed to improve memory, or it may be a game to improve recognition of objects and words. ICT is also useful for children who have difficulties with writing. This could be because of sequencing issues, or co-ordination issues which makes it difficult to write with a pen and typing allows them to communicate their ideas.
ICT if used correctly can be a great support to children who are not developing in the expected pattern. It can help them to learn new skills, and will also help refine the ones they have, for example with object recognition a programme can teach new objects as well as consolidate their knowledge that they have. It can also increase confidence and make children less frustrated as they are able to communicate their ideas and show their knowledge, and they are able to keep up with their peers. For children who may have problems with their fine motor skills, it is a good way for them to communicate, especially if there are also speech problems.
However, there can also be some drawbacks with the use of ICT. IT may not always help with confidence, if a child with problems with their fine motor skills, they may click on something they didn’t mean to, and require adult intervention to sort things out. If this keeps happening then it can damage their confidence. It may also be an issue if the problems are picked up on by their peers, as they can make fun of the child, and further undermine their confidence.
There are also issues with children who are autistic becoming too fixated on using a computer, and using it to escape human interaction. Another problem is if the child has limited keyboard skills then they can become frustrated at the length of time it takes to type. If there is also the need for adult intervention then it can take even longer, and make the child even more frustrated. In addition to this, there may be issues with children not using the computer as intended and simply messing about on them (SCOTEN, 2009).
One to one support is another intervention that has proved to be a positive intervention. One to one support for children may be by the use of a teaching assistant within the classroom that works with one child in particular, or it may include additional lessons that a child may have to catch up on their work.
A benefit to one to one support in the classroom is that the child is still within the classroom setting, and is not excluded from their peers. This helps with any social problems the child may have, and there is also the benefit that the other children may accept them more, and this in turn teaches tolerance and acceptance. Another benefit is having the support of a dedicated member of staff can enhance the child’s learning and their self esteem. Also, if a child requires additional help, then there may be one to one support outside of the classroom. This is beneficial because it enables children to catch up with the work thats been set, or do different work to the rest of the class without the distractions of the classroom.
However, if a child is being taken out of class for one to one support, then it is important that this does not occur too often. This is because it can have an impact on the child’s social development, some learning in the classroom comes from peer interaction, and if a child is being taken away from this then they are missing out on vital socialisation. Also, if the lessons are additional then the child may be missing out on fun activities such as art or music. This can lead to the child feeling resentful, and again can lead to further social exclusion, as the child is not taking part in any activities with other children and therefore has fewer shared experiences which they can relate to. It also means that the child may not learn how to interact with other children in an educational setting, for example, learning to listen to others and taking turns.
One to one support in the classroom also has its negatives. If done correctly then it can be a great way of helping children learn and develop. However, if not done properly one to one support can hinder learning as it can lead to children not being able to learn independently as they always have a staff member to guide them through any problems they may encounter. Also, if a child spends most of their time with a teaching assistant, then they can become distanced from the teacher and the curriculum and therefore falling further behind with their learning (Teaching Times, 2011).
H Chapman
Policies, procedures and paperwork
Many of the stages of policy development are about making sure the policy is fit for purpose, for example, identifying a need to be fulfilled, being clear about the aim of the policy and undertaking empirical research to establish its remit. This is important, as it helps to ensure the policy is warranted and practical and specific to the situation, and avoids creating unnecessary paperwork over policies which have no clear objective or are not appropriate to the task.
Furthermore, the process of review both before and after implementation provides a chance to reflect on the policy, foresee any potential problems and acknowledge any difficulties that arise in practice, and make improvements. This will allow the policy to be even more tailored to its purpose and situation. For example, at Ashbury School, the Health and Safety policy states that a first aider must be present during PE lessons. However, during one sport session, both main first aiders were off-site on school trips, and the only other members of staff who could administer first aid were needed in staffing ratios in other parts of the school, so the lesson was cancelled at the last minute. In this situation, through the process of review, the Health and Safety policy could be altered to outline what to do in the event of first aiders being unavailable, or to stipulate a higher minimum number of staff to be trained in first aid.
However, despite these advantages, having so many stages in the process makes developing a policy very long and labour-intensive. In the time between the identification of a need and the policy being implemented, that need could be going unfulfilled. For example, whilst a safeguarding policy is pending review, a case of abuse may be mishandled by a teacher unsure of the process. If the policy comes from the national government, passes through the local authority and then must be adapted by the school, even more time is wasted. Alternatively, by the time a policy comes into force, needs or circumstances may have changed, in which case it would need to be reviewed and rewritten again. These problems may cause policy writers to cut back on important steps such as research, which would also be undesirable, as it might compromise the quality of the policy. Therefore, a balance must be struck between the thoroughness of the development process and the time it takes to develop a policy.
Nonetheless, any policy is useless if it is not communicated effectively. Schools use different ways of communicating policies. One of the most common is self-research. The policies are made available on the school network, in the staff room or in the staff handbook, and staff are made aware that they can access them for reference. This has the advantage that they are kept in a central location where they will always be accessible, and staff can select the policies relevant to them. However, in practice, it may be that staff never get around to reading a policy, see it as ‘optional’ or are unaware of which ones apply to them.
Instead, schools sometimes choose to ask all staff to sign a form once they have read a policy. This means that all are aware that they need to read it, and are held to account over whether they have done so. However, it may not be necessary for all staff members to know every single policy, and if this approach is taken with too many policies then staff may feel overwhelmed and not have time to read them properly. Therefore, perhaps this approach should only be taken with particular important policies which affect all members of the school community; for example, Ashbury School used this method for communicating the Health and Safety policy.
These methods, however, all involve reading the policies in full and out of context. This may mean that staff forget the details or remain unclear on how they affect working practices. An alternative approach to communicating policies could be in the form of a presentation or seminar as part of in-service training. In a condensed format, with expressive delivery, the policy details would be more memorable. The session could also include interactive elements where staff would have the opportunity to apply the policy to real life scenarios and ask questions about how the policy should shape their own working practices. Different seminars could be run for different policies, with staff only required to attend sessions that applied to them. However, this approach could be quite time consuming, and would need to be repeated for new staff and new or updated policies.
In conclusion, the process of finding the right techniques for both developing and communicating policies is a balancing act between effective methods and time-efficient methods. School senior management teams will have to decide for each policy which is the best way of preparing the policy and delivering it to staff. A mixed approach may prove valuable, as policies vary in importance, urgency and universality, therefore different systems of development and communication may suit them better.
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