Law Weblog

Teachers and schools in England today have new legal powers to restrain and discipline unruly pupils

The new powers are part of the Education and Inspections Act 2006, much of which came into force on 1 April 2007.
The legislation provides for teachers’ rights to break up fights and to confiscate items such as mobile phones.
The changes are intended to put an end to the “You can’t tell me what to do” culture.
Teachers will have the right to physically restrain and remove unruly pupils, and impose detention, including sessions outside school hours.
Teachers will be able to discipline pupils outside school too – if they see children behaving badly on public transport, for example.

Section 93(1)(c) allows reasonable force to be used when a pupil is “prejudicing the maintenance of good order and discipline at the school” … This sounds as though a well aimed clip round the ear is now lawful, it will be interesting to see if parents and more importantly the courts think so.