Detention and Exclusions

For many parents their experience of discipline procedures at their child’s school will involve little more than such things as being told off or moved to sit somewhere else in the class and perhaps in secondary school, the odd lunchtime detention.

Your child is in trouble at school

However, some of us may find ourselves having to cope with more serious disciplinary actions which can prove distressing and confusing particularly if it results in either a fixed term or permanent exclusion.

For many parents in this situation it is that feeling of being in a minority that is the root cause of a lot of the challenging emotions we may feel.  We feel like it is just our child who is unruly and has been singled out as a troublemaker, and that this is a reflection on us as a parent.  These feelings of guilt and shame are often heightened for single parents who can automatically feel judged if their children don’t behave perfectly.

These negative emotions can mean we don’t handle the situation confidently and assertively.  However it is through being confident and assertive that we can effectively help our child to find a positive outcome to what is going on.

Dealing with problems of behaviour at school

It is important to focus on the following points:

• This is an opportunity to get help and support to tackle an escalating problem which you may long have felt you are no longer able to control
• Many children are challenging in different ways and it is only that the nature of your child’s problem has arisen in the school setting
• By understanding and knowing how school disciplinary procedures work, and yours and your child’s rights and responsibilities, you can focus on moving positively into the future
• It may be that your child has been unfairly dealt with by the school and by getting to grips with what is going on you will be in a position to affect an outcome which recognises this

School Behaviour Policies

Your child’s school should have a set of policies which cover all aspects of their disciplinary procedures including how they will promote positive behaviour, what they expect from pupils, for example, having respect for others, and their code of conduct.  Schools have a duty to make parents aware of these policies and to publicise them as openly as possible.  Of course, in reality that doesn’t necessarily mean you will remember coming across them, much less have read them – we all lead busy lives and, let’s be honest, policies make pretty dry reading!

However, it is a good idea for any parent to be familiar with them and a must for any parent whose child has started receiving a number of minor sanctions over a period of time or where teachers have raised concerns about your child’s behaviour.

The two most serious sanctions schools will use are detention and exclusion.

Detention

As previously stated most children who get detentions will only get lunchtime detentions which you may or may not get to hear about.  The main thing to know is that a child isn’t allowed to go without their lunch as a result of detention.

If the school imposes an afterschool detention they are required to give parents 24 hours notice so that you are able to organise travel home or rearrange childcare.  If you have concerns about making alternative travel arrangements or the safety of your child travelling home later, then it is important that you let the school know as they may reconsider in certain circumstances.

It may be that your child feels that the detention is unfair and that they have been picked on by a particular teacher.  This may or may not be true, and only you can judge this for yourself based on what you know of your child.  If you feel that what your child is saying is likely to be true then you need to talk to the teacher involved, or their head of year, and argue their case.  Be warned: however unfair your child thinks the detention is, the idea of their parent going into school and interfering may be a far worse prospect – just not cool!

Exclusion

There are two types of exclusion – fixed term (this used to be called suspension) and permanent.

Advisory Centre for Education (ACE) has a leaflet on you can download called Fixed Period Exclusion – a practical guide to parents’ legal rights, is well as an exclusion advice line (0808 800 0327).  The main points to know are:

• Exclusion is used when a child has got into serious trouble or their presence in school would seriously harm their education and welfare or that of other pupils
• Only the head teacher or acting head teacher can exclude a child
• If the exclusion is for more than 1 day the school have to set work for your child and mark it
• The school should contact you by phone on the day of the exclusion and follow up with a letter clearly stating the reason and length of the exclusion
• In the first five days of any exclusion you are required by law to make sure your child is not out in a public place, with or without a parent, during school hours
• If the exclusion is for more than five days the school should organise a re-integration meeting with you and your child before he/she returns.  If the exclusion is for less than five days it can still be helpful to request such a meeting.

Coping with exclusion

Exclusion is usually the school’s response to bad behaviour that has been getting worse and has not improved using minor sanctions, so you should have already been made aware by the school that exclusion is a possibility.  The school should actively be working on ways to prevent your child’s behaviour getting worse and also be involving you in what they are doing.  In this situation, as mentioned above, it is important to get all the information you need to help you to support and work with your child and the school.

There are situations where exclusion has come out of the blue, for example, if your child has physically assaulted someone.  However, if this is the case and especially if the behaviour is uncharacteristic, then it may be that the exclusion is unfair.  If you think this is the case you have a right to challenge the action taken by the school and there is guidance about how to do this in the ACE guidance.

Useful things to know about exclusion

• Governor’s can override a head teacher’s decision to exclude a child
• In the last few years numbers of permanent exclusions have radically dropped due to government strategy to improve behaviour in schools
• Exclusion without following formal procedures is illegal

Focus on the positive

Whatever level of disciplinary procedures your child is involved in, the important thing is to focus on positive outcomes for the future.  If your child has been excluded this means helping your child to think about going back to school, and what they can do to make things different and improve their experience of school.

Every child is different and sometimes a period of exclusion can be an important time to reflect on your child’s welfare and educational needs.  Perhaps the school that they are at is not the best place for them and alternatives do exist.  If you feel this is the case with your child talk to the school or ask to speak with an Education Welfare Officer.

Find out further information on School discipline and exclusions.

ACE’s Key information to help you understand a childs exclusion from school.

Read more about Behaviour and Attendance.