Detention
Under Section 550B of the Education Act 1996 inserted by Section 5 of the Education Act 1997 schools have legal authority to detain pupils on disciplinary grounds after the end of a school session. The Head must have made parents, pupils and staff aware that they will be using detention as a sanction. This information should appear in the school prospectus and must say that detention is a punishment which any parent might expect a child to receive if the child misbehaves.
In DfEE circular 10/99 further details are given:
A school must by law give at least 24 hours written notice to a parent that a child will be kept in detention and allow the parent time to raise any problems. The notice should say why the child has been given detention and when, where and for how long the child will have to remain at school.
Parents can object to this detention on the grounds of, for example:
- the detention is on a day of religious observance for the family
- concern about the length and safety of the walking route between school and the child's home.
- the need for transport home if the parent cannot collect the child on that day or make reasonable alternative arrangements.
The Head or another authorised teacher can decide that the child can still have detention despite the parent's objections.
If the parent remains dissatisfied they can complain to the Head Teacher and the Governors through the school's complaints procedure.
The time a pupil spends in detention should be used constructively for example:teachers should consider appropriate work for pupils to undertake during the detention and the school should keep a written record of the detention and the reasons for imposing it.
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