Go-Ahead For Teachers To Use Tough Sanctions To Tackle Bad Behaviour

Litter picking in the playground, removing graffiti and cleaning the dining hall are all sanctions teachers should consider to clamp down on bad behaviour, Education Secretary Michael Gove has said.

There has been significant progress since 2010 on improving behaviour, with persistent absence and exclusions for abuse and assault both down significantly. However, with 700,000 pupils still in schools where behaviour is not good enough, there is much still to do.

Updated government guidelines were sent to all schools in England this week, making clear that tough but proportionate punishments, ranging from writing lines to asking pupils to report at the school gates early in the morning, are just as crucial to an effective education as praising and rewarding good behaviour.

While the previous guidelines made clear the legal backing for setting punishments, they stopped short of outlining potential sanctions - leaving many heads and teachers unclear of the action they could take, particularly with regard to misplaced health and safety fears or concern about litigation.

Almost 1 in 3 secondary teachers - tens of thousands of teachers in hundreds of schools across the country - don’t feel confident using the powers they have to discipline pupils.

Mr Gove said: "Our message to teachers is clear - don’t be afraid to get tough on bad behaviour and use these punishments.

"The best schools already ask pupils who are behaving poorly to make it up to their teachers and fellow pupils through community service. I want more schools to follow their example by making badly behaved pupils pick up litter or help clear up the dining hall after meal times.

"Standards of behaviour are already improving in schools but there is much more still to do. These new guidelines will give teachers the confidence to be tougher on bad behaviour and ensure every child has the chance to learn in a controlled, orderly environment."

(CD)