"Changes will be accelerated"

Here is a selection from the many responses we received.

Good behaviour and positive attitudes are the key foundation for educational success. Having been interim head of 13 inner-city, multi-ethnic schools, all with what is described as challenging behaviour, I believe there is just one effective way of dealing with indiscipline. The leadership of the head teacher and a high level of visibility about the school at all times is key. Pupils must know that if their behaviour is unacceptable, sanctions will follow with absolute certainty and consistency. Some pupils will not conform to the usual norms, and the only alternative is to have the unequivocal power to exclude.

However, consigning these pupils to failure is unacceptable, and sufficient funding for referral units within individual schools or separate from them is essential. I have found the vast majority of parents fully supportive if time is taken to explain the situation properly. Of course, this supposes that heads are not so overloaded with administrative duties that they can give time to this essential element of school life, increasingly difficult with the proliferation of "initiatives" which usually result in a loss of initiative.
Alan Murrell, Croydon, England

Having listened to the rhetoric from the main political parties prior to the election, I felt some concern about what was being proposed regarding school discipline, truancy and the power of head teachers. It seems to me that we need to look at the variety of reasons that contribute to bad behaviour and truancy. It is the education system as a whole that needs to make some changes - Tomlinson was a start - perhaps it will be back on the agenda now. I would suggest it is the system that makes some young people feel they have no stake in their education, they are not motivated, they often feel undervalued. Learning coaches could help promote the feeling that we are interested in their future - it will be the first time many have been consulted or talked to directly in their school career. May I humbly suggest that instead of excluding pupils we look at ways of engaging with them, look for the reasons behind their behaviour and try to address them. There is no one reason that young people fail to achieve in the system so the one club approach does not work. Perhaps we should be asking the question how are we failing them? as opposed to why are they failing?
Rodney Parish, Lampeter, Wales

As a trainee teacher, I don't see how a government can improve behaviour in the classroom in the short term. Surely it is society at large, and not just education policy that is at fault here...
Al Clunnie, Southampton, UK

Assessing the reasons why pupils can be violent and attacking at the root of the problem might be a better policy than barely "bringing back respect to the classroom". Pupils from disadvantaged families do not have the means to express themselves in the classroom. Linguistic deficiencies and cultural distress are the roots of violence, not simply the unwillingness to abide by the rules.
Amine Ouazad, London, UK

The problem is not just with Labour politicians but with all politicians. The trouble is that since every politician has been to school, no matter how long ago, they think they know about education. "I've been to school, so I know about education" you can almost hear each new education minister thinking as they start in office. The truth is: unless you have ever been a teacher, you probably don't know anything about education.
Mark , London

Having taught in both state and independent schools my view is that the apparent 'success' of the independents with discipline is due largely to the economic pressure from a fee-paying regime. Parents expect certain things for their money and the school has to deliver. There is a more direct and positive relationship between parents and school with little tolerance for negative attitudes. Though I am loathe to admit it, some sort of market element in state provision would give a reality check to both parents and schools. I cannot begin to count the hours and hours of my (expensive and taxpayer-funded) time I wasted dealing with students who just did not know how to behave. Such behaviour would never be tolerated in fee-paying schools. Rather than accommodating negative behaviour by creating special units or procedures it would be more effective to create a climate where parents willingly support and participate.
Robert Skinner, UK

The issue of Labour wanting parents more in the driving seat is a thorny one. Every head teacher knows that a significant and growing minority of parents push the boundaries way too far. They see the school as being there for the benefit of their child and not all of the children. Ruth Kelly needs to get down off her parental hobby horse and talk to head teachers more. Inexperience is not accepted as an excuse for poor teacher performance and it is not acceptable for her poor performance either.
Chris, Surrey. UK