Parliamentary petitions about schools. Part 2
Small numbers of people wanted to bring these issues to the attention of politicians.
In my last post, I explained about the following website:
https://petition.parliament.uk/
On this website, you can start a petition. If a petition gets 10000 signatures, then it is promised that the government will respond. If a petition gets 100000 signatures, then it will be “considered” for a debate in Parliament.
Due to the general election, all petitions have now closed, but before they did I looked for petitions that mentioned the word “schools”.
My last post gave a flavour of contentious issues generating hundreds of signatures. This post doesn’t. This post features a selection of petitions that received relatively few signatures. I don’t think it tells us much about education in the United Kingdom. If any politicians are reading this, don’t expect this post to help you develop any last-minute manifesto pledges. However, I suspect it might give us an insight into some of the attitudes held by some parents, teachers and activists. I will present this without comment and leave you to reach your own conclusions.1
Stop fines and criminal charges for taking children on holiday in term time
The fines system and threats of criminal proceedings should be abolished. We believe the working class are being penalised for enriching their children's lives. We don't think fines affect the middle/upper class as much.
85 signatures
Extend the school summer holidays to eight weeks
…I think that the extra two weeks off of school will really help the next generation as school can be very stressing
75 signatures
Limit enforcement of school attendance for parents of SEN children
We want the Government to prevent schools from being able to take enforcement action against parents of SEN children, where they have taken their child out of school because their child's needs are not being met.
More details
We believe many SEN children are being failed by their schools, and that enforcement action is being unfairly taken against parents who choose to take their child out of school. This can have a significant negative impact on the child and parents.
67 signatures
Add asexuality to the relationships education curriculum
Ensure the discussion of and teaching about asexuality, demisexuality, aromanticism, aro-ace and other forms of asexuality are included in the national curriculum for relationships education.
66 signatures
Require schools to allow students to have access to the toilet at any time
I think it is unfair that school children are being refused access to the toilet while they are at school. Some schools have even locked toilets at certain times. We want it to be illegal for school staff to refuse school children access to the toilet….
We believe being refused access to the toilet can have a negative impact on the mental health of students, and is not being properly tackled by the Government. We think refusing requests to go to the toilet is unhygienic and a misuse of power. Some schools say that it is for the safety of pupils which we believe to be idiotic and a breach of human rights.
63 signatures
End SATs for primary school children
I was a Primary School teacher before and after the introduction of testing. I believe it changed the children, the staff and the parents.
More details
I saw the pressure and extra work and marking and wasted time spent teaching for SATs. I witnessed the impact on the mental health of colleagues. I talk to parents whose kids are anxious, they’re anxious and I honestly don’t think it’s a good idea at primary level. We could also save money and improve children’s love for learning.
55 signatures
Create an independent body with oversight of senior leadership in all schools
We want a new body to monitor senior leaders in all schools and intervene in any toxic environments created by senior leaders. Allow frontline staff to approach this body directly with concerns. There should be an investigation if a certain % of staff off sick or high staff turnover.
More details
Teachers are leaving at a high rate and recruitment is poor. We believe that many teachers are subject to toxic working environments where they can be bullied, policies ignored and even laws broken. We are concerned that many frontline staff live in fear of becoming the next target, keeping quiet about workload, lack of support with challenging behaviour or unfair decisions till breaking. Even if successful in submitting a formal grievance against senior leaders, they may not be removed or may get severance pay, while affected staff might suffer mental health consequences.
51 signatures
Require two-week half-term breaks and longer summer holidays at all schools
I want the Government to require all schools to make half-term holidays two weeks long and for the summer break to be at least 8 weeks long…
…We believe many students are being overwhelmed by the workload at schools. I think that students should have a longer break so that they can relax and enjoy their life, rather than being stressed from school. You only live once so you should be able to enjoy it.
50 signatures
Require schools to have a separate behaviour policy for SEND students
I think behaviour policies in mainstream schools are primarily written for neuro-typical students, which can result in SEND students struggling to access the curriculum and be properly understood and supported.
39 signatures
Immediate review and reform of the education system
We want an education system that is more student-centred and holistic, with a greater focus on mutual respect, socialising, mindfulness, freedom for teachers, individual strengths, emotional development, positive reinforcement not punishment, and equal opportunities.
More details
We believe the current education system is outdated, performance led and test heavy, and provides a "one-size-fits-all" education, failing pupils, parents/carers, staff and communities. We think the current system fails to nurture the talents and abilities of a diverse range of individuals.
Schools should be inclusive, nurturing and confidence building institutions where needs and struggles are validated and children are able to express themselves
Put children first!
38 signatures
Require schools to allow students to access the bathroom during lesson time
I want the Government to require schools to allow students to go to the bathroom when they need it, including lesson time.
More details
I believe young teenagers should not have to hold their need to use the toilet for hours.
34 signatures
Make it mandatory for all education staff to wear body cameras to safeguard all
We believe that student safety and accountability are of utmost importance in education settings. We advocate for the implementation of body cameras for all staff in schools/education which we think will help ensure transparency, deter misconduct, and protect the well-being of students and staff.
34 signatures
Require schools to have lessons teaching resilience
I’m calling for the Government to require resilience sessions which can equip students with vital skills such as stress management, emotional regulation, problem-solving abilities, and positive thinking strategies - all crucial tools for navigating life's challenges.
More details
The mental health crisis amongst young people is escalating, yet, I think our education system lacks structured programmes that teach students how to cope with adversity and build emotional resilience.
I think it is vital for society that we work on preventative measures.
30 signatures
Introduce mandatory welfare checks for children absent from school
Require local authorities to conduct welfare checks in the home when children are absent from school for more than 72 hours. We think more needs to be more done to protect vulnerable children.
More details
We think the Government should introduce a system in which children are checked on for their welfare. We believe that anyone whose child is genuinely unwell would not mind entertaining a short visit for the greater good.
28 signatures
Remove algebra from the national curriculum and increase financial education
We want the Government to stop schools teaching algebra and increase curriculum content on managing money, bills and mortgages!
More details
Relatively few jobs need algebra so we don't think children should be forced to learn it in school.
25 signatures
Ban schools from giving detentions to students
I think the Government should ban schools being able to give pupils detentions.
More details
I believe that detentions are an unjust behavioural correction method. I don't think that detentions work as intended. I think banning detentions and instead building up a mutual level of respect between students and teachers is a better option. I think that every school needs to follow this. Please sign this petition to make them do that.
25 signatures
Review school rules/sanctions and impact on students
I think there should be a review into school rules and sanctions, and the impact on students' mental health. This should include rules on uniform and appearance.
More details
Thousands of children everyday are suffering with their mental health, we live in a world where people are supposed to be able to express themselves in a healthy way including through how they dress, their hair etc. We think schools are so outdated, with rules on haircuts and uniform, teachers hand out detentions for shirts untucked, wearing earrings or hairstyle. We believe none of these should affect a child's education. Failure to attend detention can result in further sanctions and loss of education.
24 signatures
Change guidance and funding for behaviour management in schools
We think that policy and guidance on behaviour management in schools often reflects outdated approaches that fail to address the complexities of student behaviour. Some schools rely heavily on punitive measures like taking away play time, instead of fostering a supportive environment.
More details
We think that instead of punitive actions, the advice of government guidance to schools on behaviour policy should shift to focus more on restorative justice and positive reinforcement. Allocate funds for training teachers in trauma-informed approaches and social-emotional learning. We think that schools should be encouraged to have flexible policies, allowing schools to adapt interventions to individual needs. Prioritising empathy and proactive strategies could create a supportive, inclusive environment, promoting both academic success and student well-being.
23 signatures
Require cameras in all school classrooms and give parents access
The Government should require all schools to install live cameras in all school classrooms and give parents access so they can see their children at any time. Not only could this prevent any child sexual offenders but can also provide evidence for any allegations of abuse to teachers or children.
More details
There have been too many cases of child sexual offenders in schools. We are concerned that many are not being caught and locked up due to a lack of evidence. Installing cameras in all classrooms could limit allegations and also help parents understand their children's behaviour during school hours and work with the school to help the child.
22 signatures
Ban local authorities from using education settings as polling stations
Thousands of schools close during elections for use as polling stations. This is disruptive to children's education and can cost parents in terms of lost earnings, annual leave or childcare, not to mention the impact this has on children with extra needs when their routine is disrupted.
More details
Every year schools are closed to be used as polling stations during local elections, general elections and referendums, causing disruption to education and cost to parents. Given that the Government has placed such high importance on school attendance (with parents facing fines of £60 for a day missed) we believe it is hypocritical to allow schools to be closed during elections, particularly when additional costs can fall on parents.
19 signatures
Extend the school summer holidays to 7 weeks
We want the Government to extend the school summer holidays to 7 weeks, by requiring schools to close for at least this long over summer.
More details
We believe many students are getting stressed due to too much time in school.
18 signatures
Your conclusion might be to wonder why on earth you are reading this stuff. If so, you were warned. Please don’t unsubscribe.
One word: facepalm. Or is that two words? I think I’ll start a petition about it.
The algebra one 🤦♀️