Sounds like that child has emotional disability. I was a teacher's aid and had just such a boy (10 year old) in my care for the last 2 months of his primary school education. He actually was lovely, capable, clever and funny and compliant in a one to one setting. He had not bonded as an infant with anyone and his father was physically and emotionally abusive to his mother who tended to spoil him to make up for her own unhappiness.

Put these problems with a terrible social dynamic at school (group of same 25 to 27 pupils going through entire school career together) and it creates a downward spiral. My charge had a rep with the other kids that he could never break free of and so his behaviour grew gradually worse and worse.

It is heartbreaking working with children who have attachment disorder coupled with other problems like hyperactivity, anger issues etc.. They are so isolated. No one likes them, including the teachers and staff. They know it and do not know how to alter their behaviour. Example of how poorly this child was treated: My charge asked the principal (read head teacher) why he had to have a shadow (me). Principal answered that his goal was to get that kid through his school work so he could pass him up to middle school and out of his school. "Want to wash my hands of you (insert boy's name here)."

I was in such shock at that statement that the principal saw it as did the young student in question and a few other witnesses (staff and students). It was one of those moments that can make or break a career and it broke mine. But that is another story.

I saw so many damaged kids in that small, poor rural school. But I saw the same in well funded successful urban secondary schools too.

Education in US and UK needs a complete overhaul. Curriculum should be presented in a way that students can put the information in context and apply to current and future lives. Consideration of learning styles needs to be addressed. Teachers need to be empowered and enabled to create a safe and lively learning environment.

As long as people who have no clue about what and how to teach make the decisions and keep schools as nothing more than grade factories, then there will be more and more kids falling through the cracks.