Alongside the teaching, learning, planning, marking and addressing differentiation, we are also faced with looking after the welfare and individuality of our pupils. The Government may well state that education is all about teaching and learning, however I feel that it is widely unrecognised that it is now about so much more, which has a direct effect on the progress of a child academically.

Where is it that a teacher can draw a line in the sand and not have to worry about their pupils’ progress in life as well as academically? The Government does not lay out any guidelines for this. I have found it becomes increasingly difficult to strike the balance of where to stop wanting to be in loco parentis and just be the teacher, simply because, as a human being and a passionate teacher, it is very difficult to just switch off from the individual demands of children, which, if met, could make such a difference to their lives.

What could and does make a huge difference is the pulling together of parents and teachers. Support from both school and parents in agreement can make a vast difference to a child’s attitude and understanding, which ultimately effects their learning within the school. There should be more co-operation and regular contact between home and school.

Rachel Marshall

Chesterfield ,Derbyshire