Derrington 2012 thesis.pdf - Anglia Ruskin Research Online

staff and pupils clear indications of what needs to be addressed, is able to offer an
agreed set of criteria and a systematic and consistent way of assessing pupils and
offers a comparison of perspectives between teachers and pupils’ (McSherry, 2001,
p.28).
The programme was developed as part of McSherry’s research, with the aim of
creating and implementing ‘a practical tool and set of processes to promote the reintegration
of pupils with emotional and behavioural difficulties into mainstream
schools’ (2001, p.18). It has a three-part structure of assessment, preparation or
intervention, and support. Group work and the development of peer support are
important elements of the programme. Students are aware of their targets for both
their behaviour and work and know what they need to do to achieve them. This is the
same for students at The Centre School who are also encouraged to think about how
staff can help them with this.
Based on McSherry’s programme, the teachers’ questionnaire were designed to
capture the teachers’ perceptions of the student’s behaviour in six sections: selfcontrol,
self and others, self-awareness, self-confidence, self-organisation and
attitude 33 . Three teachers scored 33 statements for each student, using an eight point
rating scale (0 - never able to fulfil this criterion to 7 - always able to fulfil this
criterion).
In the mainstream school, the three teachers asked were the form tutor or head of
year, an English or humanities teacher and a maths or science teacher respectively. At
The Centre School form tutors and different subject teachers were asked but there are
only three teachers in the school so instructors were also asked 34 . This triangulation
resulted in three opinions on each student allowing students to be different in
different lessons as a student’s behaviour often changes according to the lesson and
can be dependent on their relationship to the teacher.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
33 The sections on learning skills and literacy skills from the Re-Integration Readiness
scale were omitted.!
34 Collecting the questionnaires was not an easy task as it involved over 60 teachers
across the two schools. However, it was well-organised and a record was kept of the
questionnaires as they were distributed and returned, along with a record of each
teacher’s subject (appendix 5.5).
! "##!