The NASUWT teaching union says some schools have taken "student voice" too far by having pupils directly interview teachers for jobs and provide feedback on their classroom performance, which they argue is unacceptable and unprofessional. In one case, a teacher was labeled "Humpty Dumpty" by a student on their interview panel. However, others argue that when done properly with training, student feedback can provide useful insights and that candidates who fail to convince students are less likely to be effective teachers. It is up to individual schools to determine the appropriate role for students.

1. Pupils 'interviewing teachers for jobs'
Pupils are wrongly being used to interview prospective teachers and give
feedback on how well they perform in class, a teaching union says.
The NASUWT teaching union says attempts to give pupils a voice in their school
are being abused by head teachers.
Delegates have voted unanimously to support a motion for a ballot over industrial
action where abuses of student involvement are identified.
Head teachers says canvassing student opinion can be very effective.
The government said pupils should play a part in their own learning but it was for
schools to decide what those roles should be.
Student voice was developed in the early 1990s to allow pupils to participate in
decision making with the idea that students with a greater involvement in their
school community were better motivated to learn.
But a paper at the NASUWT conference in Birmingham suggests steps to improve
student voice in some schools have gone too far.
'Humpty Dumpty'
It reveals schools are using pupils to answer questions about teachers'
competence and to help interview them for promotions, which the union says is
unacceptable.
NASUWT general secretary Chris Keates said the dossier was "littered with
examples of demeaning, embarrassing and
humiliating practice". It is clear that too many
In one case, a teacher was labelled "Humpty schools are engaging not in
Dumpty" by a pupil allowed to sit on his student voice but in the
manipulation of children
interview panel.
The teacher eventually got the job and taught
Chris Keates
three of the five students who had been on the
panel.
Send us your comments
"These pupils turned out to be poor behavers
and low achievers who were being given these positions of responsibility as a
motivational and self-esteem boost," the teacher wrote.
In another case, a teacher said they were "humiliated" after being asked by
pupils to sing their favourite song at interview. They declined and did not get the
job.
Ms Keates said many of the examples were grossly unprofessional and stripped
teachers of their professional dignity.
"To be effective in their roles teachers need to feel confident and empowered to
act with authority.
"Involving pupils directly in making judgments about the suitability for posts and
competence in the classroom places these considerations in jeopardy."
Ms Keates added: "It is clear that too many schools are engaging not in student
voice but in the manipulation of children and young people to serve the interests
of school management and its perspective."

2. Pivotal role
But Janet McIntyre, chair of governors at Christ Church CofE primary school, in
north London, believes pupils play a valuable role in helping select staff.
At her school in Barnet pupils on the school council, aged nine and above, give
candidates a tour of the school, ask them
questions and rate them out of 10. Candidates who can't convince
Pupils are given training and their questions the students are unlikely to be
are checked but the questions are their own. very effective if appointed
"This doesn't replace the formal interview
process. Most of our decision making is done Dr John Dunford
on that," she said.
But she said the views of the pupils pupils from the council played a part,
especially where the interview panel had been undecided between candidates.
"Pupils take this very seriously and give us insights we would not get on our
own," she said.
Prospective teachers are also asked to give a lesson, observed by other staff, and
pupils are invited to give their comments.
'Very astute'
Association of School and College Leaders general secretary Dr John Dunford said
schools and colleges had put a great deal of
effort into involving students. It is for schools to determine -
"This can be through regular surveys of with staff and pupils alike - the
student opinion, student councils, whole-school precise role or roles that
pupils/student might play
consultations on specific issues, student
interview panels and even lesson
DCSF
observations."
"Students are very astute, sometimes
surprisingly so, at articulating what works well and how weaker areas could be
improved, especially in the classroom."
But he said schools and colleges that involved students in giving feedback to
adults had a responsibility to ensure students and staff received training.
"It is particularly useful to have student views about interviewees for teaching,
student support, and senior leadership posts.
"Candidates who can't convince the students are unlikely to be very effective if
appointed."
A spokesman for the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) said:
"It is for schools to determine - with staff and pupils alike - the precise role or
roles that pupils/student might play, and what support they need in carrying
these out, and mechanisms for student views to be captured."
He said lesson observation by students might be one way of achieving this.
"The purpose of involving pupils is to improve how teachers pitch their lessons
and make them engaging," he added.
"The purpose is not to see pupils' views being used to feed into performance
management of teachers."