Select Education criticises waste of lesson time

Select Education plc has criticised a TV programme which features a teacher who took on supply assignments in schools following a 30 year break from the classroom. During her assignments she is reported to have secretly filmed scenes of children swearing, fighting and downloading pornography on their mobile phones, which are due to be shown on a Channel 5 programme tonight (Wednesday 27th April). The teacher, who has adopted the pseudonym Sylvia Thomas, worked in schools in London and the North of England and filmed in six of those schools.

Bob Wicks, Chairman of Select Education commented, ëThere have been huge changes in education in the last thirty years. A teacher who has apparently not been in front of a class for that time would certainly need curriculum refresher training to ensure that they were up-to-date with the national curriculum and so able to teach pupils effectively and ensure that the classís plan of work was adhered to.í

Select Education has introduced a range of continuing professional development programmes to help supply teachers. Bob Wicks commented, ëItís no secret that some pupils behave in a challenging way. Itís important that supply teachers are equipped to deal with this, so we have introduced courses to help them. Under our procedures, we would certainly not send a teacher who had not taught for thirty years into a school without ensuring that they had received some robust training and that they were confident that they could deal with poor behaviour as described in the reports of this planned programme.í

Bob Wicks criticised the use of undercover filming to gain material for the programme. He said, ëUp to 10% of all teachers work on a supply basis, often through agencies. They are highly professional, dedicated individuals who want to work flexibly for a variety of reasons. Itís highly unlikely that any teacher who has had such a lengthy break from teaching would be able to manage a class and teach effectively, so in essence the programme makers have condoned wasting childrenís valuable time in class. Itís a shame there isnít more focus on all the excellent work that goes on in schools, led by both permanent and supply staff.í