0:00:02 > 0:00:05This programme contains some strong language.
0:00:05 > 0:00:08These parents are glimpsing a secret world normally closed to them.
0:00:08 > 0:00:13Fixed cameras have been allowed into the classroom where they'll catch the highs...
0:00:13 > 0:00:16Brilliant, well done, James.
0:00:16 > 0:00:21I think I'm really good at school because I've never got told off.
0:00:21 > 0:00:25..and the lows of one school week.
0:00:25 > 0:00:31School would be better if people stopped being nasty to people.
0:00:31 > 0:00:36Each year in British primary schools, at least three weeks of teaching time is lost.
0:00:36 > 0:00:39The reason, low-level disruption.
0:00:41 > 0:00:45Parents will be invited to watch what their children really get up to in class.
0:00:45 > 0:00:48It's going to be quite an eye-opener, probably.
0:00:48 > 0:00:51Evan, what you doing? Maisy, what you doing?
0:00:51 > 0:00:55But will they recognise their children from their behaviour?
0:00:59 > 0:01:03- It can't be easy to watch.- It's not. - It's not, it's not, not as a parent.
0:01:08 > 0:01:11This is Humberstone Junior in Leicester.
0:01:16 > 0:01:20And this is class 4FF.
0:01:22 > 0:01:27Here, as in primary schools across Britain, teachers want to end classroom disruption.
0:01:27 > 0:01:32So they've agreed to let cameras into this class of eight and nine year olds.
0:01:32 > 0:01:36But who's responsible for poor behaviour in class?
0:01:36 > 0:01:41And could watching the children help teachers and parents tackle it?
0:01:41 > 0:01:47I always knew there was an element of risk, because it's
0:01:47 > 0:01:52quite a new thing, to open your classroom up to a camera crew
0:01:52 > 0:01:55and to allow people to watch what goes on in that quite,
0:01:55 > 0:01:59almost private world of the classroom.
0:01:59 > 0:02:04Annemarie Williams has been head teacher at the school for two years.
0:02:04 > 0:02:08I don't think we've got anything to hide, we've got no secrets and
0:02:08 > 0:02:14we're working toward parents being involved in the school.
0:02:15 > 0:02:21I'm hoping that parents realise what their child is like at school and
0:02:21 > 0:02:25thus more supportive when we're trying to manage that.
0:02:25 > 0:02:28Maisy, can you show me what you've done this morning?
0:02:28 > 0:02:34Fiona Fagan is assistant head and 4FF's class teacher.
0:02:34 > 0:02:39I'm also hoping I see what the characters are like a bit more closely,
0:02:39 > 0:02:42because I don't get to see everything that goes on in the classroom
0:02:42 > 0:02:45because I can't possibly and it will make me
0:02:45 > 0:02:50more aware of where I need to position myself and direct my attentions, I think.
0:02:57 > 0:02:59I don't like school because
0:02:59 > 0:03:03the teachers are always nagging at you all day.
0:03:03 > 0:03:05I don't like it.
0:03:05 > 0:03:10I mean, I'd like the teacher for once to stop blaming me for everything.
0:03:10 > 0:03:12Maisy is nine years old.
0:03:12 > 0:03:18Over the past year, she has repeatedly been in trouble for misbehaving in class.
0:03:18 > 0:03:22And there have been frequent calls home to her parents, Maria and James.
0:03:22 > 0:03:25Do you ever hear any positive?
0:03:27 > 0:03:29- No.- No. That's what I was thinking.
0:03:29 > 0:03:32- No.- You don't hear... There must be some positives.
0:03:32 > 0:03:35I mean, she does come out of school and we, you know, but...
0:03:35 > 0:03:38It's a good day when the teacher doesn't follow her out...
0:03:38 > 0:03:40Yeah, that's right, yeah.
0:03:40 > 0:03:42- ..and say "Mrs Throop can we have a word please?".- Yeah.
0:03:42 > 0:03:44That's a good day.
0:03:44 > 0:03:49Maisy is quite a big character within 4FF. She's quite silly.
0:03:50 > 0:03:55She likes reactions from other children...
0:03:55 > 0:03:57when she's behaving in a...
0:03:57 > 0:03:59disruptive way.
0:04:01 > 0:04:03Maisy regularly protests her innocence
0:04:03 > 0:04:07and her parents are sometimes left wondering who to believe.
0:04:08 > 0:04:13- Hold on.- All right. - Want a drink or owt?- Yeah.
0:04:13 > 0:04:17We get second-hand stories, you know, from Maisy and from the teacher, you know.
0:04:17 > 0:04:21But you'd be able to see what other children get up to as well, because some...
0:04:21 > 0:04:23You know, she's not just acting on her own.
0:04:23 > 0:04:27Yes. Sometimes other children encourage other children.
0:04:27 > 0:04:33I just get the impression that it is Maisy acting on her own and I don't quite believe that.
0:04:33 > 0:04:38I like painting and I like gluing and I like sticking because that's fun stuff.
0:04:38 > 0:04:46But all we do is writing, spelling and homework, like...
0:04:49 > 0:04:52So just get in the car. I need to defrost it.
0:05:07 > 0:05:11It's all a bit crazy. They blow the whistle and everybody lines up,
0:05:11 > 0:05:14but it's hard to get them quiet cos the parents are still around so...
0:05:31 > 0:05:35Humberstone Junior was a failing school but over the past three years,
0:05:35 > 0:05:37it's been turned around.
0:05:37 > 0:05:43When Ofsted inspected earlier this year, the school was rated 'good'.
0:05:43 > 0:05:44Morning, children.
0:05:44 > 0:05:48CHILDREN CHORUS: Good morning, Miss Williams.
0:05:48 > 0:05:51Good morning, everybody.
0:05:51 > 0:05:57- That was, yeah, that was... - These primary school years are crucial in a child's development
0:05:57 > 0:06:01and at the start of the week, pupils are expected to come into school alert,
0:06:01 > 0:06:03ready for a week of learning.
0:06:03 > 0:06:08I'd like them to come well slept, well fed, well rested
0:06:08 > 0:06:13after the weekend, keen to learn, motivated and ready to get going.
0:06:13 > 0:06:19Quite often they come on a Monday morning quite disrupted, unsettled,
0:06:19 > 0:06:24- tired and sometimes not that keen to learn.- I need a volunteer.
0:06:24 > 0:06:30While most of the class are in assembly, a small group of children are having an extra reading session.
0:06:30 > 0:06:33Maisy's reading with Emma Proud,
0:06:33 > 0:06:36a class teaching assistant.
0:06:36 > 0:06:43"To close down the shop. Can little Half Price think of a plan to save it?"
0:06:43 > 0:06:47Mmm, sounds a good story. You know what?
0:06:57 > 0:06:59Rio, have you read yet?
0:06:59 > 0:07:03- That camera's...- Bring us your bits then, please.- That camera's...
0:07:03 > 0:07:09As the next child comes up to read, Maisy is expected to carry on reading quietly to herself.
0:07:10 > 0:07:13"..and started to clean the kitchen. It..."
0:07:13 > 0:07:16But she quickly loses interest.
0:07:16 > 0:07:22"It's vacuumed, it's washed and polished all the time.
0:07:22 > 0:07:24"It sang a happy little song."
0:07:24 > 0:07:27Oh, I could do with that, I think.
0:07:33 > 0:07:35- No.- That wouldn't be good.
0:07:37 > 0:07:42First thing Monday morning and already it's too much for Maisy.
0:07:42 > 0:07:45Sometimes children go to bed later on a Friday and Saturday,
0:07:45 > 0:07:50but then when it comes to Sunday, they're out of their early bed routine and it can cause
0:07:50 > 0:07:54all sorts of problems because if they're tired, they become disengaged,
0:07:54 > 0:07:59they are de-motivated, they haven't got the energy to want to learn,
0:07:59 > 0:08:06so they become quite restless and can start the low-level disruption.
0:08:11 > 0:08:15- It's an anxious moment for Maria and James.- Hi.
0:08:15 > 0:08:17- Hi, there.- Hiya.
0:08:17 > 0:08:21They'll be watching their daughter Maisy in the classroom for the first time.
0:08:21 > 0:08:23"Jolly red one..." >
0:08:23 > 0:08:27It's an opportunity to discover the truth about her behaviour in school.
0:08:27 > 0:08:28"..other to carry..." >
0:08:28 > 0:08:31Lovely. So what do you think's going to happen, then?
0:08:31 > 0:08:34We've got Carl moving to Poppy's and Poppy's going nuts.
0:08:34 > 0:08:36Oh, nice(!)
0:08:37 > 0:08:42- Ok, and what's the story?- She's not going to read this book, is she?
0:08:42 > 0:08:45- No.- No. She's not feeling it, is she?
0:08:45 > 0:08:48- She's won't read it.- Is he such a nice neighbour, this Mr Flint?
0:08:48 > 0:08:54- No.- Has he got any faults?- No.- OK. - He's not nice.
0:08:54 > 0:08:56Maisy's returned to her desk.
0:08:56 > 0:09:02She's supposed to be writing a book review.
0:09:02 > 0:09:04- Fantastic.- Shh!
0:09:11 > 0:09:15That obviously looks like a late night the night before, doesn't it?
0:09:15 > 0:09:17Oh, she's just going to sleep.
0:09:21 > 0:09:23Yes, put that pencil down. >
0:09:26 > 0:09:29- I think she comes across that she's quite tired.- Yeah.
0:09:29 > 0:09:30- Mmm.- Yeah.- Yeah.
0:09:30 > 0:09:34- I'm quite shocked really. Was that in the morning?- That was Monday.
0:09:34 > 0:09:39- Monday morning.- Monday morning, yeah. - First thing, nine o'clock.- Yeah.
0:09:39 > 0:09:42She likes to stop up, because she stopped up on a Friday and a Saturday.
0:09:42 > 0:09:44Yeah. She's not tired.
0:09:44 > 0:09:47She thinks, "Oh, Sunday's OK and Monday's OK,"
0:09:47 > 0:09:49and we'll say "No, it's time for sleep now.".
0:09:49 > 0:09:53- Yeah.- But there'll be messing around upstairs so the following day she'll be tired.
0:09:53 > 0:09:54Tired.
0:09:54 > 0:09:58Can I practise what I've got to do in assembly?
0:09:58 > 0:10:00It's literacy time now.
0:10:00 > 0:10:01Oh, no.
0:10:12 > 0:10:19It's kind of difficult not to talk but I'm trying not to talk now...
0:10:19 > 0:10:20in the lessons.
0:10:20 > 0:10:27Corey is nine years old. He struggles to read and write.
0:10:27 > 0:10:31When I don't really listen,
0:10:31 > 0:10:35I don't really know what the question is and
0:10:35 > 0:10:38when I don't know what the question is,
0:10:38 > 0:10:43it gets harder and harder cos you don't really want to ask because
0:10:43 > 0:10:48you'll be kind of rude to ask when she just told you what it is,
0:10:48 > 0:10:50but you don't really know.
0:10:55 > 0:10:56Corey. Hmm...
0:10:56 > 0:10:59He's a lovely little boy.
0:10:59 > 0:11:05He craves positive input from adults and his peers.
0:11:05 > 0:11:07- Yes.- Do you smell or something?
0:11:07 > 0:11:13The school says that, because Corey finds lessons so challenging, he misbehaves and is disruptive.
0:11:13 > 0:11:18He can get angry quite easily and quite quickly.
0:11:18 > 0:11:24His attainment is so low compared to his peers, he struggles greatly with the schoolwork.
0:11:24 > 0:11:29Corey has an older brother at the school and two younger sisters.
0:11:29 > 0:11:34His mum Rachel says that, at home, her son is helpful and patient with the two girls.
0:11:34 > 0:11:37She doesn't recognise the child described by the school.
0:11:37 > 0:11:41He does act so differently at school than he does at home.
0:11:41 > 0:11:46When Corey's got into trouble in the past, they have...
0:11:46 > 0:11:48rang me up and said "Can you come and collect Corey?
0:11:48 > 0:11:51"He keeps walking out of class and it's unacceptable".
0:11:51 > 0:11:57The school's solution is to offer Corey extra support and lots of encouragement.
0:11:57 > 0:12:01But Rachel thinks they're being too soft on him.
0:12:01 > 0:12:08I don't want them giving him special treatment, going to special classes so he doesn't have to do his work...
0:12:10 > 0:12:14..because then he'll come home with like stickers all over him,
0:12:14 > 0:12:18lickle trophies and I'll say, "Corey, what did you get them for?"
0:12:18 > 0:12:21and it was, "Oh, that was because I was sitting nicely on the carpet"
0:12:21 > 0:12:24and I says, "No, Corey, you should be doing that anyway".
0:12:24 > 0:12:30Corey, along with the rest of the class, are in the morning literacy lesson.
0:12:30 > 0:12:33So, last week we were looking at explanation text,
0:12:33 > 0:12:37we'll carry that on this week, look a bit more in detail at them.
0:12:37 > 0:12:42To keep children engaged, lessons are broken down into short bursts,
0:12:42 > 0:12:47often starting on the carpet, where children write on whiteboards.
0:12:47 > 0:12:53So, for example, it might explain how your Hoover works or your washing machine.
0:12:56 > 0:13:01Then they move back to their desks to continue their work.
0:13:03 > 0:13:05Feeling a bit tired?
0:13:05 > 0:13:06Yeah?
0:13:06 > 0:13:08Because Corey finds lessons difficult,
0:13:08 > 0:13:11he often finds ways to avoid class.
0:13:11 > 0:13:17Today he's complained of being hungry and has been taken out to get some breakfast.
0:13:17 > 0:13:19You are good. Come on, then.
0:13:19 > 0:13:23We'd better hurry up cos we're missing the lesson, aren't we?
0:13:24 > 0:13:28- What lesson is it?- Literacy.
0:13:28 > 0:13:30Are you sad about that?
0:13:30 > 0:13:32- No.- No, I didn't think you were.
0:13:40 > 0:13:44If we don't get back there, you won't know what you're doing, will you?
0:13:44 > 0:13:47That's the whole idea.
0:13:47 > 0:13:49What? It is.
0:13:51 > 0:13:57By the time he returns, Corey has missed 20 minutes of the lesson.
0:13:58 > 0:14:01His mum Rachel has come into school.
0:14:01 > 0:14:06Now, for the first time, she can see for herself how he's getting on in class.
0:14:34 > 0:14:38He's really trying to get out of the lesson, isn't he?
0:14:38 > 0:14:41Yeah. He's delayed it already by saying he's hungry
0:14:41 > 0:14:43and he's had his piece of toast.
0:14:43 > 0:14:45Yeah. He's just not wanting to do it at all.
0:14:45 > 0:14:49- No, not at all.- Now he's having a drink that he doesn't really want.
0:14:49 > 0:14:51- Yeah.- Avoidance tactics.
0:14:56 > 0:15:00For two hours each morning, Corey has one-to-one support in class
0:15:00 > 0:15:03from teaching assistant Tracey Smith.
0:15:07 > 0:15:09Come on, we need to get some work done.
0:15:15 > 0:15:20- He's trying every trick in the book. He just really didn't want to sit down and do the work at all.- Yeah.
0:15:20 > 0:15:23He does avoidance techniques all the time and I'm constantly, like...
0:15:23 > 0:15:26- Is this like an every day basis, then?- Yeah.
0:15:26 > 0:15:28- This is what he's like every day. - Hmm.
0:15:28 > 0:15:30And I'm constantly, "Corey, come and sit down"
0:15:30 > 0:15:33and if I haven't got Mrs Smith, cos she's only there 9 till 11,
0:15:33 > 0:15:36- so that's... - Is this every day that she's there?
0:15:36 > 0:15:38Yeah, but the rest of the time it's just me,
0:15:38 > 0:15:42so I'm constantly like "Corey, come and sit down" and then I have to have him sat with me.
0:15:42 > 0:15:47It's only Monday and Rachel is beginning to realise that without
0:15:47 > 0:15:52one-to-one support, her son is difficult to control.
0:16:02 > 0:16:05What's it been like having the cameras here?
0:16:05 > 0:16:09You can't do anything naughty.
0:16:11 > 0:16:16But I try my best not to swear in front of the camera.
0:16:19 > 0:16:21- So is everyone behaving themselves today?- Yeah.
0:16:21 > 0:16:25Yeah, because of the, especially because the cameras are here.
0:16:25 > 0:16:29When I sit at the table, like, the camera starts and follows me and that.
0:16:29 > 0:16:32It's like Big Brother, it's like you could take people out...
0:16:36 > 0:16:40Back from break, the children are having 20 minutes of reading time.
0:16:45 > 0:16:47Corey is getting on with his work.
0:16:47 > 0:16:49But on the other side of the room...
0:16:49 > 0:16:53- Oh.- ..Maisy is still showing no interest in her book.
0:16:55 > 0:16:59Unnoticed by teaching staff, she's disrupting those around her.
0:17:24 > 0:17:28Maisy... Maisy, that really is the wrong thing to be doing right now,
0:17:28 > 0:17:31isn't it, darling? What a shame.
0:17:41 > 0:17:43- They're going in there. - Can I have it?
0:17:43 > 0:17:51Can you give it to Charlie so you can get straight on with your work?
0:17:51 > 0:17:55It's not the first time Maisy's been in trouble for bringing playthings into class.
0:17:57 > 0:17:59Bring your book over, Maisy, quick.
0:18:02 > 0:18:04She does have things though a lot, doesn't she?
0:18:04 > 0:18:06- Yeah. - I'd rather her not bring anything.
0:18:06 > 0:18:11- I sometimes have to physically search her so she hasn't got things because of that...- Mmm.
0:18:11 > 0:18:14That's why I don't send her with anything.
0:18:14 > 0:18:17- All that's taken place still on Monday morning.- Monday morning.
0:18:17 > 0:18:20- Mmm.- OK.- So she's obviously not started that day...
0:18:20 > 0:18:23- ..brilliantly. - ..in the right frame of mind.
0:18:23 > 0:18:26- No, maybe not. - ..for doing her reading and stuff.
0:18:34 > 0:18:38Eight-year old Rio has always had good reports from school.
0:18:40 > 0:18:44I think I'm really good at school because...
0:18:48 > 0:18:49Because I'm always...
0:18:49 > 0:18:52Because I'm always being good and I've never got told off at school.
0:18:52 > 0:18:59But since moving into year four, Rio's behaviour in class has deteriorated,
0:18:59 > 0:19:03something the school is keen to put a stop to.
0:19:06 > 0:19:10Rio isn't a leader, Rio is a follower, so if there's somebody
0:19:10 > 0:19:14being silly, he usually hooks onto that silliness and joins in.
0:19:14 > 0:19:17Generally on the carpet, he listens quite carefully.
0:19:17 > 0:19:21It's usually when he's at his table that he's a little bit disruptive.
0:19:21 > 0:19:25Rio's parents, Lee and Suzanne, both work full-time
0:19:25 > 0:19:29and have less opportunity than many parents to talk to the teachers.
0:19:29 > 0:19:34They have yet to be told of the school's concerns about their son's behaviour.
0:19:34 > 0:19:36Yeah, it'd be nice to be a fly on the wall.
0:19:36 > 0:19:40I think he's just a happy-go-lucky lad, I think in the class he'd just,
0:19:40 > 0:19:42you know, just be getting on with what he does
0:19:42 > 0:19:45and interacting with everybody.
0:19:45 > 0:19:49I think, because he's at school, obviously he knows that somebody's
0:19:49 > 0:19:51in charge there, so he does to behave.
0:19:51 > 0:19:57Obviously with at home, with any child, they try to push their luck and see how far they can go.
0:19:57 > 0:20:00Rio knows when he's at school he has to behave.
0:20:07 > 0:20:09It's Tuesday morning.
0:20:09 > 0:20:14Rio and the rest of the class have been asked to write a two page story.
0:20:14 > 0:20:15OK.
0:20:17 > 0:20:21So our story starter today, Corey, is...
0:20:23 > 0:20:27The afternoon was hot and so was the railway carriage.
0:20:27 > 0:20:30The next stop was Temple Boom, nearly an hour ahead.
0:20:30 > 0:20:34Armed with instructions, the children return to their desks.
0:20:34 > 0:20:36Come on, Charlie, you can get this one.
0:20:42 > 0:20:47Rio's parents have come into school together for the first time...
0:20:47 > 0:20:48- Hi. - Hello there.
0:20:48 > 0:20:51- Hello.- Hi. - ..and they're in for a surprise.
0:21:00 > 0:21:03Now all we've got to do is copy that bit for it.
0:21:03 > 0:21:06Handwriting practise, isn't it?
0:21:12 > 0:21:14Oh, that went in the pot!
0:21:14 > 0:21:17Jack! It went in the actual pot.
0:21:22 > 0:21:26- Jack's not having any of it, is he? - No, no. No, definitely not.
0:21:26 > 0:21:32I went like that. Look, it's in the pot. It landed in the pot. Bang!
0:21:32 > 0:21:36It hit the white board on the top and it just bounced in the pot.
0:21:36 > 0:21:38- Yeah.- He's definitely lost concentration.
0:21:39 > 0:21:42I don't understand how I didn't notice. Look, that right there.
0:21:42 > 0:21:45- There, there.- How did I not notice?
0:21:45 > 0:21:51But it's not just the class teacher Fiona who's seeing 4FF in a new light.
0:21:51 > 0:21:57It's also an eye-opener for Lee and Suzanne, as they watch Rio in school.
0:21:57 > 0:22:03- Rio, do I need to come and sit next to you to get some work out of you?- Yep.- Do I?
0:22:03 > 0:22:08- Yep.- Mmm. - Is he distracted like that at home?
0:22:08 > 0:22:10- Homework is... - Homework is...- a nightmare.
0:22:10 > 0:22:12He won't tell you sometimes he's got homework.
0:22:12 > 0:22:14I think he wants to do it, doesn't he?
0:22:14 > 0:22:17- Yeah.- I think he just needs someone to step in and say,
0:22:17 > 0:22:21"Rio, come on, it's not playtime now, it's time to concentrate" and...
0:22:21 > 0:22:22- Work time, yeah.- Yeah.
0:22:22 > 0:22:24- Yeah, it is.- Is it what you expected?
0:22:24 > 0:22:27- Hmm...- Yeah.- I think you. I didn't actually.- Yeah, yeah.
0:22:27 > 0:22:29I thought he'd be really, really quiet.
0:22:34 > 0:22:41Each year in British primary schools, at least three weeks of teaching time is lost.
0:22:41 > 0:22:43The reason?
0:22:43 > 0:22:45- The poor behaviour of children in class.- Miss...
0:22:45 > 0:22:48Khaled, now why are you stopping Jenna from working?
0:22:48 > 0:22:51According to Ofsted,
0:22:51 > 0:22:57the biggest problem facing Britain's schools is not serious misbehaviour, but low-level disruption.
0:22:57 > 0:23:01Low-level disruption is usually when children want to avoid doing work.
0:23:06 > 0:23:10They might be chatting to the person sat next to them.
0:23:10 > 0:23:13- Oh, no. No.- Can I do it in pink?- No! Right, can everyone stop, please?
0:23:22 > 0:23:27They might be tipping up on their chair, they might be wandering around the classroom
0:23:27 > 0:23:31to get a rubber or a pencil, they might be going to sharpen their pencil.
0:23:33 > 0:23:35They might be going to get a drink.
0:23:39 > 0:23:44And generally disturbing only a few children around them.
0:23:45 > 0:23:50I think it's unrealistic to expect that you're going to have 30 children in a room all day
0:23:50 > 0:23:53and there'll be no low-level disruption
0:23:53 > 0:23:56and I think we accept there is going to be disruption.
0:23:56 > 0:23:58For me, it's about how we handle that.
0:23:58 > 0:24:03One strategy used by this school and many others
0:24:03 > 0:24:09is to place children who can be disruptive next to a child who can act as a good role model.
0:24:09 > 0:24:14- No. Yes, you are. - Sit down.
0:24:19 > 0:24:20Let's chop your head off...
0:24:25 > 0:24:27I try to put them next to children that I know don't
0:24:27 > 0:24:31become easily distracted and they're so engaged in their work
0:24:31 > 0:24:33that they ignore what's going on next to them
0:24:33 > 0:24:38and get on with their work and so I don't really think that it affects their learning that much.
0:24:38 > 0:24:42What it does do is, because those children are so well engaged,
0:24:42 > 0:24:44it doesn't give the disruptive child anybody to feed off.
0:24:51 > 0:24:53- I'm not doing my work.- You are.
0:24:53 > 0:24:55- No, I'm not.- Come on.
0:24:55 > 0:24:57Some good ideas.
0:24:57 > 0:25:00- I know you've got some good ideas in there...- Yeah.
0:25:00 > 0:25:01You've done some brilliant work.
0:25:10 > 0:25:15The child sitting next to Corey finally loses his patience.
0:25:15 > 0:25:18Right, Corey, you must do some work now.
0:25:29 > 0:25:30Brilliant, well done, James.
0:25:30 > 0:25:34Did you find that easier like that? Isn't it?
0:25:34 > 0:25:38Nine year-old James works hard at school.
0:25:38 > 0:25:44But he's sensitive to the taunts and teasing of other children in the classroom.
0:25:44 > 0:25:50School would be better if people stop being nasty to people.
0:25:50 > 0:25:55They are being mean to me and my family or friends
0:25:55 > 0:25:58and that probably gets me wound up.
0:25:58 > 0:26:02I'm going to try and ignore them,
0:26:02 > 0:26:04just try and walk away.
0:26:04 > 0:26:06James is like a little lost soul.
0:26:06 > 0:26:12He has quite a lot of problems with the other boys in the class,
0:26:12 > 0:26:16mainly because, I think, of the way he reacts to things,
0:26:16 > 0:26:19I think they like to get a reaction out of him.
0:26:19 > 0:26:23He's very keen to learn, really wants to do well, really wants to please.
0:26:23 > 0:26:26Yeah, he's a nice lad, James is.
0:26:26 > 0:26:31James's mother Donna knows about the playground arguments.
0:26:31 > 0:26:36Sometimes he has come home and said that he has been picked on, so he's
0:26:36 > 0:26:40had to obviously retaliate to that, which I do try to tell him not to.
0:26:40 > 0:26:44You're not at school for fighting, you're there to learn.
0:26:44 > 0:26:46Go get it.
0:26:48 > 0:26:50That'll keep him busy.
0:26:50 > 0:26:52Yeah.
0:26:54 > 0:27:00But Donna has yet to find out just how much the classroom squabbles are disrupting her son's work.
0:27:04 > 0:27:07Research shows that parental involvement in schools
0:27:07 > 0:27:09can significantly improve behaviour
0:27:09 > 0:27:14and exam results and the school are keen to enlist Donna's support.
0:27:17 > 0:27:20James and the rest of the class have returned from morning break.
0:27:28 > 0:27:30Can I have group four?
0:27:30 > 0:27:32- Where are they?- They went out there.
0:27:32 > 0:27:34What are you lot doing?
0:27:37 > 0:27:40James has got into an argument with Rio
0:27:40 > 0:27:43over a car he's brought into school.
0:27:43 > 0:27:46Can you sit properly on this chair please, Rio?
0:27:49 > 0:27:52I don't like what's happening here. Sit properly, please.
0:27:52 > 0:27:54Come on, you've had a really good morning.
0:27:57 > 0:28:03James is upset and the teaching assistant Emma goes to calm him down.
0:28:03 > 0:28:06But it's your toy car that you like playing with.
0:28:06 > 0:28:08What does it matter what anybody else thinks?
0:28:10 > 0:28:12I think I...
0:28:12 > 0:28:15Yeah, but that's all over and done with then now. Forget that.
0:28:15 > 0:28:17What you supposed to be doing now?
0:28:17 > 0:28:21Angry and unhappy, James finds it difficult to concentrate.
0:28:21 > 0:28:23There's an old one there.
0:28:23 > 0:28:28Teachers say learning time is frequently lost when arguments spill over into the classroom.
0:28:28 > 0:28:31Oh, James, thank you. Go and sit down and get on with your work.
0:28:33 > 0:28:37You were telling him it's no good then in not very nice words, apparently.
0:28:42 > 0:28:45His main difficulty is his anger management.
0:28:45 > 0:28:47- Social.- Yep.- Mmm.
0:28:47 > 0:28:50And it's times when he feels under threat a little bit,
0:28:50 > 0:28:55either under threats, somebody's making fun of him...
0:28:55 > 0:28:58- Yeah.- Or under threat...
0:28:58 > 0:29:00Yeah, he has come home a few times...
0:29:00 > 0:29:04"Such and such has called you...", I says "Well, don't listen to them."
0:29:04 > 0:29:06But he's quite a sensitive little soul.
0:29:06 > 0:29:09- He is quite sensitive and someone can say something that...- Yeah.
0:29:09 > 0:29:13..in their head doesn't feel or sound that bad...
0:29:13 > 0:29:16- Yeah. And to him...- and in his head it ends up being a massive thing.
0:29:16 > 0:29:21That affects his ability to get on with his work because it eats him up inside.
0:29:25 > 0:29:31There's a big group of boys in this year group and in this class,
0:29:31 > 0:29:33that are quite challenging.
0:29:33 > 0:29:39They all want to be in charge, they all want to be top of the pecking order and they also have a need for
0:29:39 > 0:29:43street cred and quite often, that leads to disagreements.
0:29:43 > 0:29:46The boys in my class know what winds each other up.
0:29:46 > 0:29:47It's lunchtime.
0:29:47 > 0:29:53On the other side of the playground, a game involving year four boys has escalated into a fight.
0:29:53 > 0:29:54James is involved.
0:29:54 > 0:29:57The head teacher has stepped in to restore order.
0:29:57 > 0:30:01From what I can gather...
0:30:01 > 0:30:02- you...- Yeah.
0:30:02 > 0:30:07shouldn't have been throwing something in someone's face, very dangerous, very silly.
0:30:07 > 0:30:11And you shouldn't have been kicking children when you get cross with them.
0:30:11 > 0:30:14It's not the first time James has waded into a fight
0:30:14 > 0:30:20and, though his intentions are good, Annemarie is keen to discourage this behaviour.
0:30:20 > 0:30:23How have you ended up mixed up in all the middle of all this?
0:30:23 > 0:30:25I tried to split you two up.
0:30:25 > 0:30:28But James, don't try to split it up. Come and find an adult.
0:30:28 > 0:30:31Miss, James didn't do anything.
0:30:31 > 0:30:37Yeah. James, you really shouldn't have got involved but you are the least guilty here, all right?
0:30:37 > 0:30:42Next time, James, what are you going to do, instead of try and get involved and sort it out?
0:30:42 > 0:30:43- Tell an adult.- Tell an adult.
0:30:43 > 0:30:46There's four of us out there, yeah?
0:30:46 > 0:30:50Right. Go and stand down there, please. James, you can go outside.
0:30:50 > 0:30:53Khaled, you stood here please, outside the staff room.
0:30:53 > 0:30:56You do not speak to anybody, particularly each other.
0:30:56 > 0:30:59Annemarie refers the incident on to Dan Collier.
0:30:59 > 0:31:01He runs the boys' achievement group.
0:31:01 > 0:31:05- This one, yeah?- 90% of the teaching staff at Humberstone Junior
0:31:05 > 0:31:11are female, so the group was set up to provide positive male role models for boys in the school.
0:31:11 > 0:31:18It aims to build up their self-esteem and it's an opportunity for James to open up.
0:31:18 > 0:31:21First, we're going to do one of these short sheets, OK?
0:31:21 > 0:31:23So, we'll talk about it, write your name, OK?
0:31:23 > 0:31:27And then you're going to rate the week, OK?
0:31:27 > 0:31:29So it's from one to ten, OK?
0:31:29 > 0:31:31So if you circle, you circle a number
0:31:31 > 0:31:34and ten is if you've have a really good week, OK?
0:31:34 > 0:31:37And one if it's not been great, OK?
0:31:38 > 0:31:40- That's a one?- Yeah.
0:31:40 > 0:31:43Why a one?
0:31:43 > 0:31:45- Guess. - Not just that lunchtime thing, is it?
0:31:45 > 0:31:47No, not so good.
0:31:47 > 0:31:50You two not getting on very well?
0:31:50 > 0:31:52Not just...
0:31:52 > 0:31:55Oh, some other people as well. You've had a bit of a tough week, have you?
0:31:55 > 0:31:58There's been a lot of different things happening this week.
0:31:58 > 0:32:00There's a lot going on in school.
0:32:03 > 0:32:08Maisy is one of six children chosen for an intensive reading programme.
0:32:08 > 0:32:11The school considers it a privilege.
0:32:11 > 0:32:15The Masked Cleaning Ladies Of Om.
0:32:15 > 0:32:19It's a chance for Maisy to improve her reading skills
0:32:19 > 0:32:22but she's more interested in entertaining her classmates.
0:32:34 > 0:32:35- What?- What do you mean, what?
0:32:35 > 0:32:40If I just sat here going like this, wouldn't you go, "What you doing, Mrs Proud?"
0:32:40 > 0:32:44And when I look at you, that's what I'm seeing.
0:32:44 > 0:32:47Come on, then, open up. Come on, Khaled. Khaled...
0:32:47 > 0:32:50Obviously, Mrs Proud's not seen that.
0:32:50 > 0:32:55- No. She's not noticed. - Not even aware.- Nora.
0:32:55 > 0:32:58Nora, told the rest...
0:32:58 > 0:33:06family what are we going to do as princess came for a start. I can...
0:33:06 > 0:33:11I can even do a bit...
0:33:11 > 0:33:14What? She's doing this.
0:33:14 > 0:33:16And?
0:33:16 > 0:33:19- Yes.- Look.- So?
0:33:20 > 0:33:22You're the one that's not working.
0:33:22 > 0:33:28- The others are.- I can even do a bit of washing myself. "What?"
0:33:28 > 0:33:31shouted Queen Nora. Our people will say that King Harry...
0:33:32 > 0:33:34Stop it. Sorry, Maisy.
0:33:34 > 0:33:36"What?" shouted Queen Nora.
0:33:36 > 0:33:41"People will say that King Harry does his own cleaning". "Never".
0:33:41 > 0:33:44I like your expression. That's how they talk, yeah.
0:33:44 > 0:33:46"Never!". Right, can you please take this?
0:33:46 > 0:33:49In fact, don't, stay there and you come and sit next to me here Khaled,
0:33:49 > 0:33:53then you can't look lovingly into Maisy's eyes, can you?
0:33:53 > 0:33:54Come on.
0:33:54 > 0:33:56You need a book to read.
0:34:00 > 0:34:03- Being. Being.- Being a cowboy.
0:34:03 > 0:34:06- He didn't let go...- Well done.
0:34:06 > 0:34:12And he ran all the way into town for...
0:34:14 > 0:34:18- You just let go of it, didn't you? - She's doing her dances.
0:34:18 > 0:34:20- Yeah.- Yes. - What's that one?- Mustapha...
0:34:20 > 0:34:23If she could dance all day she would be happy.
0:34:23 > 0:34:25- Yeah.- You've just let go of it, haven't you?
0:34:25 > 0:34:28- What's going on?- Mustapha...
0:34:28 > 0:34:30Mustapha can...
0:34:30 > 0:34:33Sometimes you find it hard not to laugh to yourself...
0:34:33 > 0:34:36Right. Well, we were all laughing, weren't we, then when...
0:34:36 > 0:34:39- It's really not...- It's not funny.
0:34:39 > 0:34:41- It's not funny.- It's not funny.
0:34:41 > 0:34:45- This is...the literacy side of things is important.- Yeah, it is.
0:34:45 > 0:34:47I love reading. She's always seen me read.
0:34:47 > 0:34:52That reading programme that she's on, she gets listened to read every single day like that
0:34:52 > 0:34:55and it's a six week intensive reading programme.
0:34:55 > 0:34:58- To really help her.- To really help her develop her reading.
0:34:58 > 0:35:00And it's a brilliant opportunity for her
0:35:00 > 0:35:02but she's not making the most of it.
0:35:02 > 0:35:04- No.- No.- She's not.
0:35:04 > 0:35:07Just two days into the school week.
0:35:07 > 0:35:10Already for the parents watching their children in class,
0:35:10 > 0:35:13there have been surprises and disappointments.
0:35:13 > 0:35:17But what does the rest of the week hold for the four children?
0:35:20 > 0:35:22Wednesday morning.
0:35:22 > 0:35:27Corey and the rest of the class are in literacy.
0:35:27 > 0:35:30We've got a nice activity today.
0:35:30 > 0:35:35You need to listen. OK. We were thinking before about
0:35:35 > 0:35:40what's in an explanation text, so we're going to be...
0:35:40 > 0:35:42saying an explanation, OK?
0:35:42 > 0:35:46The children are paired off and Fiona encourages the steadier
0:35:46 > 0:35:49children to work with those that are easily distracted.
0:35:51 > 0:35:54OK, so let's think about what partners, then.
0:35:56 > 0:35:58Maisy, you may go with Zainab.
0:36:06 > 0:36:10Corey's teaching assistant isn't with him.
0:36:10 > 0:36:13You can turn the lights on and off.
0:36:13 > 0:36:18And, though he has been paired with a child that works steadily and quietly,
0:36:18 > 0:36:22without one-to-one support, Corey becomes increasingly disengaged.
0:36:31 > 0:36:34Right, come on then, write about the lightbulb.
0:36:34 > 0:36:35Corey, what you doing?
0:36:35 > 0:36:42Rachel can now see for herself how much her son struggles in lessons
0:36:42 > 0:36:46and how it takes the support and encouragement of teachers
0:36:46 > 0:36:48just to keep him in class.
0:36:48 > 0:36:50And this is a regular thing?
0:36:50 > 0:36:52- Yeah.- Yeah. At least once every lesson.
0:36:52 > 0:36:55He doesn't always walk out. He'll just stand by the door for a minute.
0:36:55 > 0:37:01Which is progress, because what he used to do, he'd be out the door and he would run down the corridor
0:37:01 > 0:37:04and if Fiona was on her own in the classroom, somebody would
0:37:04 > 0:37:06have to go and round him up and bring him back in.
0:37:06 > 0:37:08He just seems so kind of...
0:37:10 > 0:37:11- ..oh, sad.- Yeah.
0:37:11 > 0:37:13- He seems sad, you know?- Yeah. Lost.
0:37:13 > 0:37:15- Lost.- Yeah, you just feel like...
0:37:15 > 0:37:18especially as a mum, I just feel like sitting with him
0:37:18 > 0:37:21- and saying "It's OK, Corey", I feel really kind of...- Mmm.
0:37:21 > 0:37:23- Yeah.- I feel sorry for him, you know?
0:37:23 > 0:37:27- We often feel that he looks like he's lost.- Yeah, a little lost boy.
0:37:27 > 0:37:32He stands back from the other children, he doesn't get involved.
0:37:35 > 0:37:40Maisy does have the ability to work well in class when she chooses
0:37:40 > 0:37:43and, paired with Zainab, she's getting on with her work.
0:37:43 > 0:37:47Well done, girls, that was brilliant.
0:37:49 > 0:37:52Some of the boys are practising
0:37:52 > 0:37:56their football skills for an assembly they're giving the next day.
0:37:56 > 0:37:59Corey has got into an argument with another boy.
0:37:59 > 0:38:03Corey, be in charge of my balls in the bag for a minute, please.
0:38:03 > 0:38:04All right.
0:38:04 > 0:38:08- Stay, thank you. - Once again James gets involved.
0:38:08 > 0:38:10Khaled, no, just leave him.
0:38:10 > 0:38:13James, leave him. James, leave him. I know, I know.
0:38:13 > 0:38:17Right, I want you in twos with one ball between you, please.
0:38:17 > 0:38:19Get into twos and get one ball.
0:38:21 > 0:38:25Corey, think what you're doing, think about what you're doing, take some deep breaths.
0:38:25 > 0:38:29Walk with me this way, walk with me this way, good boy. Thank you.
0:38:29 > 0:38:33Oh, my goodness. I need you to help me for this assembly. It's got to be a good assembly. Yeah?
0:38:33 > 0:38:37What, do you just want five minutes out, just to sit out a minute?
0:38:37 > 0:38:40- Yeah.- That's fine. Don't go out the gate, though, cos we need to know you're in here.
0:38:40 > 0:38:43Right, are we in twos? Have we got a ball each?
0:38:43 > 0:38:45The bag's here, look. Thank you.
0:38:45 > 0:38:49Thank you boys. Go on, off you go, let's see what we can do with this.
0:38:49 > 0:38:50In, out, in, out.
0:38:50 > 0:38:54Corey rejoins the group but the argument flares up a second time.
0:38:54 > 0:38:58So, right, let's start from the beginning then.
0:39:02 > 0:39:04Please, boys. This is silly, isn't it?
0:39:04 > 0:39:09Right, stay in these pairs for the assembly. Set yourselves up like this.
0:39:09 > 0:39:14I will leave three cones like this, so that it's dead easy for you to place yourself between them, OK?
0:39:14 > 0:39:16Then we'll do...
0:39:16 > 0:39:19if I can talk Corey round, he can be the whistle man or something.
0:39:19 > 0:39:21You know what, Corey?
0:39:21 > 0:39:28Corey, if you use my whistle, you could be the referee here and start and stop this game.
0:39:28 > 0:39:30What do you reckon?
0:39:30 > 0:39:36Once again, teaching is disrupted as Emma tries to persuade Corey to rejoin the group.
0:39:43 > 0:39:46Ian, stop it, then pass it back. Don't you fancy it?
0:39:46 > 0:39:51Don't you fancy being in charge of the bag that all the balls are to
0:39:51 > 0:39:55go in and collect them all up, moving my cones and blowing the whistle to start and stop them?
0:39:55 > 0:39:57Do you think you could do that?
0:39:57 > 0:40:01I'll be there to help you. I won't expect you to do it all by yourself.
0:40:01 > 0:40:02What do you reckon?
0:40:02 > 0:40:06- Yeah, all right then. - Yeah? Good, thank you.
0:40:06 > 0:40:11You know when somebody loses a ball in the assembly, you're not going to shout abuse at them are you?
0:40:11 > 0:40:18I felt really angry, really angry cos they keep on winding me up, and I don't really like it.
0:40:18 > 0:40:20What do you mean?
0:40:20 > 0:40:23Like saying horrible things about me.
0:40:26 > 0:40:30School may seem like a separate world, but what happens
0:40:30 > 0:40:33in the home often affects what goes on in the classroom.
0:40:35 > 0:40:39It's 8.30 in the morning and James is on his way to school.
0:40:41 > 0:40:48I've got a couple of awards in class for maths and literacy.
0:40:48 > 0:40:53I would say I'm doing well because of all of the...
0:40:56 > 0:41:01..certificates I'm getting, but I never show them to my Mum.
0:41:01 > 0:41:07- Why not?- Because she don't come to assembly.
0:41:07 > 0:41:15First, I ask her if she's coming to assembly, she says "yeah,"
0:41:15 > 0:41:17she never turns up.
0:41:20 > 0:41:22And second,
0:41:22 > 0:41:27I ask her if she would come to the maths one, she never turns up.
0:41:31 > 0:41:354FF have been practising hard for today's class assembly.
0:41:35 > 0:41:39All the parents have been invited, along with the rest of the school.
0:41:41 > 0:41:44They notice if their parents aren't there and,
0:41:44 > 0:41:49it doesn't necessarily matter if it's not parents, but they notice if nobody's there.
0:41:49 > 0:41:52If you look at the beginning of the performance, they're looking out
0:41:52 > 0:41:55into the audience to see who's there.
0:41:55 > 0:41:59James can't see his mum Donna in the audience.
0:41:59 > 0:42:05I think we are in for a real treat this afternoon.
0:42:05 > 0:42:07Its 4FF's class assembly.
0:42:07 > 0:42:12It's called Targets And Talents.
0:42:12 > 0:42:18James often receives certificates for his work, which are handed out in assembly.
0:42:18 > 0:42:24The school feels that coming along to these would give Donna the chance to praise and encourage her son.
0:42:26 > 0:42:30MUSIC PLAYS
0:42:48 > 0:42:52When he's got assemblies and when it's your invitation for assembly,
0:42:52 > 0:42:56- does he tell you about things like that?- Certain ones he does.
0:42:56 > 0:43:00- Yeah.- But then it's getting somebody to watch the baby.
0:43:00 > 0:43:03- And does he bring his certificates and things home?- No, no.
0:43:03 > 0:43:04- He didn't? Didn't he?- No, no.
0:43:04 > 0:43:07- Ah.- Cos he gets them quite a lot.
0:43:07 > 0:43:10Yeah, Chelsea'll bring hers home but I've not got one up for him.
0:43:10 > 0:43:14- Yeah.- He doesn't bring them home. - That's a real shame, then you could make a real fuss of him.
0:43:14 > 0:43:17- Even, if you haven't been able to go to an assembly.- Yeah.
0:43:17 > 0:43:20- Cos he does love praise, doesn't he? - He does, yeah.
0:43:20 > 0:43:23- I think for James, self-esteem's a big issue...- Yeah.
0:43:23 > 0:43:29- Yeah, it is.- Anything any of us can do to improve that self esteem.
0:43:32 > 0:43:36And there are other ways in which the outside world affects what happens in school.
0:43:40 > 0:43:42Go! Go! Go! Go!
0:43:42 > 0:43:45Class 4FF are back from swimming.
0:43:48 > 0:43:52You need to get a whiteboard and a pen and come and sit down.
0:43:58 > 0:44:04Following on from an earlier lesson, the class has been asked to describe how an electric circuit works.
0:44:07 > 0:44:12Brief short notes about how an electric circuit works.
0:44:12 > 0:44:16And now you need to talk a bit more about where the electricity comes from...
0:44:16 > 0:44:18She's just pretending to write.
0:44:18 > 0:44:21- Yeah.- That's exactly... - She's not writing, is she?
0:44:21 > 0:44:27- How it gets there and...- Maisy has ignored Fiona's instructions and is writing a note for her neighbour.
0:44:27 > 0:44:34You're going to make your own explanation text on how electricity works.
0:44:34 > 0:44:40Remember, it's not instructions on how to make it, it's an explanation.
0:44:40 > 0:44:43Statement about electricity...
0:44:43 > 0:44:48and why we need to... And why we need it.
0:44:48 > 0:44:50Her friend is unimpressed...
0:44:50 > 0:44:52but Maisy carries on.
0:44:52 > 0:44:57..what an electric circuit is.
0:45:01 > 0:45:07Number three, a paragraph on where the electricity...
0:45:07 > 0:45:13In the past, when confronted by her parents, Maisy has denied swearing in class.
0:45:18 > 0:45:22..electricity comes from and how it travels.
0:45:22 > 0:45:28Now her parents must accept that her behaviour is worse than they thought.
0:45:28 > 0:45:31- That was...- That was disappointing.
0:45:31 > 0:45:34- It was disappointing, yeah.- That can't be easy to watch.- It's not.
0:45:34 > 0:45:37- It's not.- I mean... It's upsetting sometimes.
0:45:37 > 0:45:41It's like you say, you've told us about it before but then you see it and it's like...
0:45:41 > 0:45:43- Yeah.- It's disappointing.
0:45:43 > 0:45:46You just feel like...
0:45:46 > 0:45:48Where do you think that comes from?
0:45:48 > 0:45:53On a weekend, she'll stop up late so, you know, probably ten...
0:45:53 > 0:45:55- Yeah.- 11 o'clock.- Yeah.
0:45:55 > 0:46:00- And after, there's a lot of these normal sort of programmes that use a lot of bad language.- Language.
0:46:00 > 0:46:02I mean a lot of it is...
0:46:02 > 0:46:07she's picked up from, you know, the environment she lives in, I suppose, you know, walking
0:46:07 > 0:46:14the street and some of it is when we go onto YouTube and she says, "Oh, can I put this song on?"
0:46:14 > 0:46:17- and I'm like "oh, my...". You don't realise... - Mmm.- No.
0:46:17 > 0:46:21..until you see the words and like, "No, that's off now".
0:46:21 > 0:46:24Maisy is somebody as well, as you sort of see watching the clip,
0:46:24 > 0:46:27she likes to get a peer reaction.
0:46:27 > 0:46:31Peer feedback is a big thing for Maisy, isn't it?
0:46:31 > 0:46:36- Yeah. She does crave attention, be it positive or negative, sometimes.- Yeah.- Yeah.
0:46:39 > 0:46:41You all right, James?
0:46:41 > 0:46:45There are behaviours from outside school full-stop that
0:46:45 > 0:46:50are brought into the classroom and sometimes that's from home, but equally sometimes it's
0:46:50 > 0:46:54inappropriate behaviours that are learned at the park from mixing with
0:46:54 > 0:47:01older children, it's inappropriate behaviour from watching something on television that's isn't suitable.
0:47:01 > 0:47:03You all right Betty-spaghetti?
0:47:03 > 0:47:07And I think in our little primary school environment, we're trying
0:47:07 > 0:47:12to offer something that's very nurturing and very cosy
0:47:12 > 0:47:15and to kind of keep those behaviours at bay.
0:47:15 > 0:47:18The children have been told to work
0:47:18 > 0:47:21- quietly and on their own. - Oh, my God!
0:47:21 > 0:47:25But not everyone is ready to work.
0:47:34 > 0:47:35Don't, Rio!
0:47:38 > 0:47:41- Better now?- Ah!- Hey!
0:47:41 > 0:47:44Miss! He was putting a sharpener down my back.
0:47:44 > 0:47:46Are you being a bit silly?
0:47:46 > 0:47:48Hold your books up, let me see.
0:47:48 > 0:47:51The other children have nearly completed their work,
0:47:51 > 0:47:54but Rio is still writing the title at the top of the page.
0:47:54 > 0:47:57Look what we've done. Orange group, hold your books up.
0:47:57 > 0:48:00- Whoa!- We've nearly finished,
0:48:00 > 0:48:05- so I wouldn't be laughing if I were you cos you'll be staying in to do it.- Oooh!
0:48:05 > 0:48:08- That's got him. - OK, put your books down.
0:48:10 > 0:48:14I think that's what Rio needs sometimes, a bit of tough love. Definitely.
0:48:17 > 0:48:19Shhh! Finish the bit that you are on.
0:48:19 > 0:48:22Having watched him in class across the week,
0:48:22 > 0:48:25Suzanne and Lee ask the school to take a tougher stance with Rio.
0:48:25 > 0:48:30He's got loads to offer but he doesn't always get down to work.
0:48:30 > 0:48:34- Yeah, he will take the mick. - He will, yeah.- That's why like, what he's doing here,
0:48:34 > 0:48:39- he will do it and he know he can do it but he'd rather have a joke and mess about.- Yeah.
0:48:39 > 0:48:42It does need pushing in that direction, definitely with Rio.
0:48:42 > 0:48:44If you're happy for us to be tough on him...
0:48:44 > 0:48:46That's absolutely fine. Definitely.
0:48:46 > 0:48:49- I can do that.- I think he tries to push it a bit, doesn't he?
0:48:49 > 0:48:55It's Friday and, in assembly, head teacher Annemarie Williams
0:48:55 > 0:48:58rewards those who have behaved well.
0:48:58 > 0:49:01Attendance, attendance.
0:49:01 > 0:49:06Among the prizes given out is one for best class attendance.
0:49:06 > 0:49:10Very interesting. OK, so this week...
0:49:10 > 0:49:18By an absolute mile, not really surprising, the winning class is...
0:49:19 > 0:49:22..4...
0:49:22 > 0:49:25- ..FF.- Yeah!
0:49:27 > 0:49:29James is chosen to collect the award.
0:49:32 > 0:49:38If you win the attendance, your teacher gets to pick somebody to go up.
0:49:38 > 0:49:42Miss Fagan chose me cos I was sitting nicely
0:49:42 > 0:49:44and I was paying attention.
0:49:46 > 0:49:50- Freeze! - With the weekend looming,
0:49:50 > 0:49:56some of the children are finding it even more difficult to focus on class.
0:49:56 > 0:50:00- Miss, can I...- Can we sit down here please?
0:50:00 > 0:50:06Just 15 minutes into the lesson and Corey has lost interest.
0:50:19 > 0:50:22Corey, Corey, what you doing?
0:50:33 > 0:50:35Corey, what are you doing?
0:50:35 > 0:50:41- He's trying to tickle me.- Who? That's why I want you...
0:50:41 > 0:50:46Corey ignores Fiona and continues to disrupt the rest of the table.
0:51:00 > 0:51:04See? I got caught by the police, they can nail that.
0:51:06 > 0:51:08Oh!
0:51:10 > 0:51:14Having watched her son across the week, Rachel now understands that
0:51:14 > 0:51:21much of Corey's disruptive behaviour stems from the difficulties he has with learning.
0:51:21 > 0:51:25And he needs the praise, as well as discipline, to manage him.
0:51:25 > 0:51:30I thought that he was just like the other, I suppose, just a general kid at school doing the work.
0:51:30 > 0:51:33You know, I suppose a lot of parents are naive thinking...
0:51:33 > 0:51:36"We'll drop the kids at school", we're just assuming
0:51:36 > 0:51:41that they are sitting there doing their work, cos after watching that and obviously he seems like
0:51:41 > 0:51:48he is quite difficult in the class and now I can understand that you do give him these rewards...
0:51:48 > 0:51:51- Yeah. So it might seem... - It works.- It seems, yeah.
0:51:51 > 0:51:55..as if we're being a little bit soft touch but we've got to continually give
0:51:55 > 0:52:03him that chance to be successful at something, rather than looking at the things that he can't do.
0:52:03 > 0:52:05It's the end of the school week.
0:52:05 > 0:52:08For the parents, seeing their children in school
0:52:08 > 0:52:11for the first time has brought home some uncomfortable truths.
0:52:11 > 0:52:15But there are also promises of change.
0:52:15 > 0:52:18- OK, have a nice weekend. - See you later.- See you Monday.
0:52:26 > 0:52:28It was quite upsetting and...
0:52:28 > 0:52:32I got quite emotional when I've seen the silliness, you know, I just...
0:52:32 > 0:52:38cos it's not, you know, we want Maisy, we really want to push her forward and...
0:52:38 > 0:52:41get her moving and, you know, it was quite...
0:52:41 > 0:52:44At one point, I felt like saying to the monitor,
0:52:44 > 0:52:48"Maisy, stop it", because, you know, I know she can do it.
0:52:48 > 0:52:52Donna has resolved to give James more support,
0:52:52 > 0:52:57helping him with his homework and coming to assemblies.
0:52:57 > 0:53:02Rio's parents are determined to put an end to his poor behaviour in class.
0:53:02 > 0:53:05It is helpful because now we know what he's like,
0:53:05 > 0:53:07we can try and nip that silly
0:53:07 > 0:53:11attitude kind of thing in the bud and get him doing some proper work.
0:53:11 > 0:53:13If he had a teacher more on him saying, "Rio,
0:53:13 > 0:53:17"you've got to start concentrating", I think he would then do it.
0:53:17 > 0:53:21It has really opened my eyes up, definitely, definitely.
0:53:21 > 0:53:26When I come to future parent meetings, I feel like I can understand what the teachers
0:53:26 > 0:53:32are actually saying and I can, you know, communicate better with the teachers now about Corey.
0:53:36 > 0:53:39Two weeks have passed.
0:53:39 > 0:53:46It's early days, but are parents and teachers now working together to tackle difficult behaviour?
0:53:46 > 0:53:49The four parents that we worked with, I just felt that we...
0:53:49 > 0:53:55knew the children better as a result and that the next time something arises that we might need to
0:53:55 > 0:53:58discuss, it's going to be so much easier because there's that trust
0:53:58 > 0:54:00and that communication already there.
0:54:00 > 0:54:02Since watching her class,
0:54:02 > 0:54:06Fiona Fagan has made changes in the way she manages it.
0:54:06 > 0:54:12The biggest thing I've learnt is that I have to be really careful about where I place myself in the classroom
0:54:12 > 0:54:17so that I can focus on not only the group I'm working with, but also
0:54:17 > 0:54:19the children that are likely to be chatting.
0:54:19 > 0:54:25I'm also much more aware of children that are perhaps disrupting other children that are trying
0:54:25 > 0:54:28to work and I act on that quite quickly and move them.
0:54:28 > 0:54:35There have been noticeable improvements, too, in the behaviour of some of the children.
0:54:35 > 0:54:37Well, my mum got home
0:54:37 > 0:54:42and she says that I've been messing around a little bit
0:54:42 > 0:54:45and not got on with my work.
0:54:45 > 0:54:48So I've got on with my work now
0:54:48 > 0:54:50and I'm...
0:54:50 > 0:54:52not messing about now.
0:54:52 > 0:54:55Rio is a child that now knows that I'm onto him.
0:54:55 > 0:54:57I kind of just need to say "Rio, I'm watching"
0:54:57 > 0:54:59and he'll stop what he's doing and get on with his work.
0:54:59 > 0:55:04He's calmed down quite a lot. He is a joker and he's a happy child anyway and I wouldn't change him
0:55:04 > 0:55:07for the world, but I did think he does need
0:55:07 > 0:55:11to pull himself away from enticing other children to mess about.
0:55:11 > 0:55:13Got to keep stirring it.
0:55:13 > 0:55:16Donna is building a good relationship with the school
0:55:16 > 0:55:18and spending more time with her son.
0:55:18 > 0:55:24I'm trying to change round now and do stuff with him and try and up
0:55:24 > 0:55:27his self esteem and so far so good.
0:55:27 > 0:55:29Since he's been spending the one-to-one with me,
0:55:29 > 0:55:35he seems to be a lot happier in himself and he's not getting into so much trouble.
0:55:35 > 0:55:39The last couple of weeks, me and my mum's been cooking.
0:55:39 > 0:55:41I've enjoyed it because...
0:55:43 > 0:55:47..me and my mum don't get that much time to spend together.
0:55:47 > 0:55:49Have a taste.
0:55:51 > 0:55:54See what you try, see what you taste.
0:55:54 > 0:55:57I tell you what, though, for your first go, that's lovely.
0:55:57 > 0:56:02But there are no easy solutions in trying to manage behaviour in busy schools.
0:56:02 > 0:56:07With James, I feel that we've got to a place of better understanding
0:56:07 > 0:56:12with Mum and Mum with James, and so it's been positive
0:56:12 > 0:56:15in that sense and you would hope that eventually,
0:56:15 > 0:56:18that will have a knock on effect on James's behaviour.
0:56:18 > 0:56:20There's a long way to go for Corey.
0:56:20 > 0:56:23First, he needs help with his struggle to learn.
0:56:23 > 0:56:27I don't know why I don't like school cos
0:56:27 > 0:56:29it learns you lots of things.
0:56:32 > 0:56:36I find it really difficult sometimes...
0:56:38 > 0:56:40..really difficult.
0:56:40 > 0:56:46The school and Rachel are now working more closely together to solve the problem.
0:56:46 > 0:56:51They've suggested bringing like a specialist teacher to come in and help him along,
0:56:51 > 0:56:54because he's so far behind.
0:56:54 > 0:56:56I've just got to leave a lot to the teacher's hands
0:56:56 > 0:57:00and keep as much in touch with the school to find out what's happening,
0:57:00 > 0:57:03whether he's progressing with that.
0:57:03 > 0:57:07As for Maisy, she's spending more time reading and doing homework...
0:57:07 > 0:57:10and she's going to bed earlier.
0:57:10 > 0:57:14Maisy's now much more alert and awake and you can tell that she has
0:57:14 > 0:57:20been having early nights, or earlier nights, and because I'm more onto her, she hasn't got the opportunity
0:57:20 > 0:57:25to be disruptive or be silly or distract others around her.
0:57:25 > 0:57:30Since my mum and dad have seen the video, I've tried to act a bit more gooder
0:57:30 > 0:57:35because I want my mum and dad to be proud of me.
0:57:35 > 0:57:39Miss Fagan says my work is a bit improving
0:57:39 > 0:57:42and I'm not that naughty and I don't swear that much any more.
0:57:42 > 0:57:46The plan for the future is to keep going with what
0:57:46 > 0:57:51we've implemented already and not to slack on it, really.
0:57:51 > 0:57:56We've seen what some of the good pupils can do at school and, you know, some...
0:57:56 > 0:57:58We want Maisy to be able to...
0:57:58 > 0:58:00Yeah, we want Maisy to be up there with them.
0:58:00 > 0:58:04Watching the classroom has brought parents and teachers together,
0:58:04 > 0:58:07helping both sides to understand more about their children.
0:58:07 > 0:58:11The final test will be in whether it brings lasting change.
0:58:11 > 0:58:16# Today is gonna be the day that we're gonna throw it back to you... #
0:58:16 > 0:58:18It's definitely been worth it.
0:58:18 > 0:58:24The pay-offs for us as a school, in terms of the relationship that we've built with those parents,
0:58:24 > 0:58:27it's been brilliant for us to watch the footage
0:58:27 > 0:58:32and just reflect on what we do and what works and what doesn't work.
0:58:32 > 0:58:36So if we could film children once a year and show it to their parents,
0:58:36 > 0:58:38we probably would.
0:58:38 > 0:58:40CHILDREN SING: # I'm sure You've heard it all before
0:58:40 > 0:58:43# But you've never really had a doubt
0:58:43 > 0:58:46# I don't believe that anybody
0:58:46 > 0:58:50# Feels the way I do About you now... #
0:58:55 > 0:58:58Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
0:58:58 > 0:59:01Email subtitling@bbc.co.uk