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Marriage breakdown 'hinders schoolchildren'
20 March 2008
The break-up of marital relationships is causing problems for children in schools, teachers have said.
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A conference of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers reported that children brought up in "chaotic" homes where there are not two parents in a loving relationship are likely to underachieve and have behavioural problems.
The children themselves will then in turn have the same problems with their children as the decline in marriage leads to a "toxic circle".
Politicians should do more to promote marriage in the country in order to alleviate the problems, the teachers' group warned.
Phil Walley, a teacher at Hardenhuish School in Wiltshire, told the conference: "We all know from professional experience the extent to which chaotic home lives and family breakdowns are damaging the educational prospects of children in this country.
"We know that 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.
"Family stability, or the lack of it, is an important determinant of a child's education outcomes.
"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."
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