Family breakdown threatens child education

A “TOXIC circle” created by the breakdown of traditional family life threatens the education of generations of children, teachers warn.

They say there are increasing numbers of pupils who can’t concentrate at school because of the “emotional turmoil” suffered when their parents split up. Many of these youngsters will be unable to create stable families for their own children – who are then also more likely to fail at school, it is claimed.

The Association of Teachers and Lecturers at the union’s annual conference in Torquay, Devon, called on Labour to recognise the damage done by broken homes.
Delegates backed a resolution proposed by delegate Phil Whalley who warned that nearly half of children were now born to unmarried parents.
Mr Whalley, from Hardenhuish School, Chippenham, Wiltshire, said evidence shows that co-habiting but non-married parents are twice as likely to separate as married couples.
He added: “No matter how brilliant the lesson or how much has been spent on rebuilding the school, if a child comes in angry and in emotional turmoil because of their family life they will not learn.”
He added: “This means that we have a significant problem in Britain because we already have worrying levels of social dysfunction and family breakdown and the situation is getting worse.
“The great sadness is that the consequences of an unstable family background are felt long into adult life. Those who underachieve in their education are much more likely to go on and live dysfunctional lives and be unable to support a stable family life for their own children.

“In short, as a society we are in danger of creating an expanding, perpetuating and toxic circle.”

One teacher said many children are “losers before they even start”. Teachers also warned that white working-class boys were failing at school. Only 15 per cent of white boys from poor backgrounds in England gain five good GCSEs including maths and English.

But union members said that politicians were reluctant to discuss the issue for fear of lending support to far-Right groups.
The Department for Children said: “What happens outside school is as important as what happens inside when it comes to driving up standards. “We don’t want to turn teachers into social workers or housing officers.
“That’s why we are focusing on how we can make all schools 21st Century schools, with integrated services for all children and early intervention for those who need it.”