Behaviour and Discipline in Schools:

A Guide for Parents

Introduction

I am sure you would all agree that every single one of our students has a responsibility to every other member of the Oaks Academy community to behave in ways which help everybody to learn, thrive and succeed. The 2006 Education Act placed increased responsibility on schools to ensure high standards of behaviour and discipline and increased the powers that schools have to raise those standards.

Please note that at The Oaks Academy, we intend to use any of the powers at our disposal that are necessary to ensure the highest standards of behaviour and discipline so that all of our students can succeed. We believethat support from home is vital. This document is intended to make sure there is no misunderstanding between home and school regarding what schools can and can’t do. Please contact school should you require any clarification regarding points listed below.

The rest of this leaflet is taken from government guidance published in 2014 and intended to reinforce the key messages in the 2006 Act. Some sections are highlighted in bold type as they are changes that many parents are unaware of and that some may find surprising. The complete document can be accessed at:

The school behaviour policy

The law saysHeadteachers and governing bodies must ensure they have a strong behaviour policy to support staff in managing behaviour.

The Headteacher must decide the standard of behaviour expected of pupils at the school. He / she must also determine the school rules and any disciplinary penalties for breaking the rules. The Headteacher must set out measures in the behaviour policy which aim to:

  • promote good behaviour, self-discipline and respect;
  • prevent bullying;
  • ensure that pupils complete assigned work;
  • regulate the conduct of pupils.

Discipline in schools: teachers’ powers

Teachers can (and should) discipline pupils whose conduct falls below the standard which could reasonably be expected of them.

  • Teachers have statutory authority to discipline pupils whose behaviour is unacceptable, who break the school rules or who fail to follow a reasonable instruction (Section 90 and 91 of the Education and Inspections Act 2006).
  • The power also applies to all paid staff with responsibility for pupils, such as teaching assistants.
  • Teachers can discipline pupils at any time the pupil is in school or elsewhere under the charge of a teacher,
  • Teachers can also discipline pupils when a pupil’s misbehaviour occurs outside of school.
  • Teachers have a power to impose detention outside school hours including Saturday mornings and training days.
  • Teachers can confiscate pupils’ property.

Behaviour and sanctions

A clear school behaviour policy, consistently and fairly applied, underpins effective education.Good schools encourage good behaviour through a mixture of high expectations, clear policy and an ethos which fosters discipline and mutual respect between pupils, and between staff and pupils. When poor behaviour is identified, sanctions should be implemented consistently and fairly in line with the behaviour policy. Good schools will have a range of disciplinary measures clearly communicated to school staff, pupils and parents. These can include:

  • A verbal reprimand.
  • Extra work or repeating unsatisfactory work until it meets the required standard.
  • The setting of written tasks as punishments, such as writing lines or an essay.
  • Loss of privileges
  • Detention, including break-time or lunch-time, after school and at weekends.
  • School based community service or imposition of a task – such as picking up litter or weeding school grounds; tidying a classroom; helping clear up the dining hall after meal times; or removing graffiti.
  • Regular reporting, including early morning reporting or being placed “on report” for behaviour monitoring.
  • In more extreme cases schools may use temporary or permanent exclusion.

Behaviour off the school site

Subject to the behaviour policy, teachers may discipline pupils for misbehaviour when the pupil is taking part in any school-organised activity, or travelling to or from school, or wearing school uniform, or in some other way identifiable as a pupil at the school, or misbehaviour at any time, whether or not the conditions above apply, thatcould have repercussions for the orderly running of the school or poses a threat to another pupil or member of the public or could adversely affect the reputation of the school.

Detentions

Teachers have a power to issue detention to pupils.The times outside normal school hours when detention can be given include: any school day where the pupil does not have permission to be absent; weekends - except the weekend preceding or following the half term break; and non-teaching days.Parental consent is not required for detentions. Parents should be informed in advance of the detention butnotice may not be necessary for a short after school detention.Travelarrangements are the responsibility of the parent. Inconvenience is not a sufficient reason to be excused from detention.

Seclusion / isolation rooms

Schools can adopt a policy which allows disruptive pupils to be placed in an area away from other pupils for a limited period, in what are often referred to as seclusion or isolation rooms.It is for individual schools to decide how long a pupil should be kept in seclusion or isolation, and for the staff member in charge to determine what pupils may and may not do during the time they are there.

Confiscation and the power to search

There are two sets of legal provisions which enable school staff to confiscate items from pupils: The general power to disciplineenables a member of staff to confiscate, retain or dispose of a pupil’s property as a punishment, so long as it is reasonable in the circumstances. The law protects them from liability for damage to, or loss of, any confiscated items provided they have acted lawfully.The power to search without consent for “prohibited items” including:

  • knives and weapons
  • alcohol
  • illegal drugs
  • stolen items
  • tobacco, cigarette papers and lighters of any kind
  • fireworks
  • pornographic images
  • any article that has been or is likely to be used to commit an offence , cause personal injury or damage to property
  • any item banned by the school which has been identified in the rules as an item which may be searched for.

At the Oaks Academy these includemobile phones or any device capable of accessing Social Media

  • Laser pens or similar
  • E- cigarettes or similar
  • Marker pens

This list is regularly updated and is not exhaustive

Power to use reasonable force

Members of staff have the power to use reasonable force to prevent pupils committing an offence, injuring themselves or others, or damaging property, and to maintain good order and discipline in the classroom. Head teachers and authorised school staff may also use such force as is reasonable given the circumstances when conducting a search without consent for items listed above.

Schools can use reasonable force to:

  • remove disruptive children from the classroom where they have refused to follow an instruction to do so;
  • prevent a pupil behaving in a way that disrupts a school event or a school trip or visit;
  • prevent a pupil leaving the classroom where allowing the pupil to leave would risk their safety or lead to behaviour that disrupts the behaviour of others.

As mentioned above, schools generally use force to control pupils and to restrain them. Control means either passive physical contact, such as standing between pupils or blocking a pupil's path, or active physical contact such as leading a pupil by the arm out of a classroom. Restraint means to hold back physically or to bring a pupil under control, for example when two pupils are fighting and refuse to separate without physical intervention. School staff should always try to avoid acting in a way that might cause injury, but in extreme cases it may not always be possible to avoid injuring the pupil. Schools do not require parental consent to use force on a student.