Schools given new guidance over powers in relation to pupil discipline

The Department of Education has issued new guidance to help schools understand their legal powers and duties as regards establishing a school behaviour policy and disciplining pupils.

The guidance, School discipline and pupil-behaviour policies – guidance for schools, also provides more specific advice on the key sanctions of detention and confiscation.

It focuses in particular on the provisions in the School Discipline chapter of the Education and Inspections Act 2006, which came into force on 1 April 2007.

The guidance, which replaces earlier guidance provided by the National Strategies on school behaviour and attendance policies, says: “Some of the provisions of the EIA 2006, such as the statutory power to discipline, are new. Others re-enact or replace existing legal provisions. It is important that schools understand what these powers and duties mean for them in practical terms.

“The Act clarifies and as appropriate strengthens schools’ powers to discipline, reducing the risk of misunderstandings and challenges to their disciplinary authority.”

The guidance – described as a centre piece to an overall suite of DfES guidance – adds that the government is determined to support teachers and other school staff who have to deal with poor and disruptive behaviour.

It says: “Poor behaviour blights the learning, and so possibly the life chances, of other pupils. It is also demoralising for school staff to have to deal with persistent disruption to their teaching and makes the job harder and less enjoyable. This is unacceptable.”

You can download a copy of the guidance here.