SSS's Background |
The Name Schools Support Service was established in April 1999. The first name - encouraged by an increasing number of secondary school incidents like the Dunblane shootings, and the stabbing of head teacher Phillip Lawrence - was Schools Security Service However the word security tended to mislead the education authorities and public about the organisation's plans. Certainly, policeman-like work was included in the group's aims for school Marshals. But the word security hid the main aim of the teams principals which is that troublesome pupils will be counselled into behaving. The Beginning In those early days, it was expected that schools would want to hire the team and its ideals in a commercial way immediately. But that word security appeared to put schools off. So the management committee, totally committed to the need of the group in the community, changed the word to support, and offered the Marshals and Mentors to schools on a voluntary basis initially. |
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| Name game … The organisation had to get the name right before their good intentions were recognised. Now their gentle Marshals are turning many pupils from difficult schools towards consistent good behaviour. | |
| The First The first school to say, "Yes" was the troubled Cardinal Newman Roman Catholic School. Within a month, the school was convinced of the positive advantages that came with Schools Support Service and they signed up for the full commercial service. |
