Derrington 2012 thesis.pdf - Anglia Ruskin Research Online

(Grimshaw, 1996). Although this term is no longer used, its origin implies that
students with specific problems can often be left behind. In some cases students who
do not meet certain criteria of children’s services miss out on provision which is
available.
There are many causes for disaffection (Vizard, 2009) and reasons why students turn
up at school in a disrupted state, continuously bored and unwilling to give anything a
try. The students may be from very troubled families, suffer from economic and
material deprivation, or lack good parenting and can also be defined as students who
are in danger of negative future events (McWhirter et al., 2006). Vizard lists stressful
lifestyles, mental health issues, poor food and drink, crime, addictions and media as
factors that can lead to disaffection. Cobbett (2009, p.15) writes: ‘There is a high
correlation between social deprivation and both underachievement (Croll, 2002) and
exclusion from school (Ofsted, 2006)’.
‘Barriers to learning’ is the current term used to define the many difficulties which
youngsters face which can inhibit learning and access to learning (Farrell, 2006).
Such difficulties with learning, emotions and social development can prevent school
being an enjoyable and sociable place. Disaffection may begin in primary school but
students are often considered more challenging as they ‘harden up’ on their transfer to
secondary school where behaviours can become much more difficult to manage.
‘Educating Essex’, a television documentary of life in a modern secondary school
(2011), highlighted current thinking regarding the teacher’s role in relation to pupils.
The deputy head teacher, Drew, believes that exclusion is morally wrong, recognising
the link between school exclusion, failure at school and criminal activity. As one half
of male and one third of female sentenced prisoners were excluded from school, and
one half of male and seven out of ten female prisoners have no qualifications
(Berman, 2011), Drew argues that ‘to lose them, is to know they’ll drift’. He
explained the need to provide very strong guidelines for young people: ‘Today’s
boundaries between adults and children are not as secure, as strong as they were in
the past’ (episode 1). He suggested that allowing young people to always express
their opinion and let them make decisions can actually be detrimental. Adolescents,
by their nature, test out every possible boundary so, he argues, they need guidelines
and rules to help them recognise when they have got it wrong.
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