Education Act 1997 (c. 44)

Part II U.K. School discipline

Responsibility for discipline U.K.

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Textual Amendments

F1 Ss. 2-3 repealed (1.9.1999) by 1998 c. 31, s. 140(1)(3), Sch. 30 para. 208(a), Sch.31 (with ss. 138(9), 144(6)); S.I. 1999/2323, art. 2(1), Sch.1

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Textual Amendments

F2 Ss. 2-3 repealed (1.9.1999) by 1998 c. 31, s. 140(1)(3), Sch. 30 para. 208(a), Sch.31 (with ss. 138(9), 144(6)); S.I. 1999/2323, art. 2(1), Sch.1

Power to restrain pupils U.K.

4 Power of members of staff to restrain pupils. U.K.

After section 550 of the M1 Education Act 1996 there shall be inserted—

“ Power to restrain pupils U.K.

550A Power of members of staff to restrain pupils.

(1) A member of the staff of a school may use, in relation to any pupil at the school, such force as is reasonable in the circumstances for the purpose of preventing the pupil from doing (or continuing to do) any of the following, namely—

(a) committing any offence,

(b) causing personal injury to, or damage to the property of, any person (including the pupil himself), or

(c) engaging in any behaviour prejudicial to the maintenance of good order and discipline at the school or among any of its pupils, whether that behaviour occurs during a teaching session or otherwise.

(2) Subsection (1) applies where a member of the staff of a school is—

(a) on the premises of the school, or

(b) elsewhere at a time when, as a member of its staff, he has lawful control or charge of the pupil concerned;

but it does not authorise anything to be done in relation to a pupil which constitutes the giving of corporal punishment within the meaning of section 548.

(3) Subsection (1) shall not be taken to prevent any person from relying on any defence available to him otherwise than by virtue of this section.

(4) In this section—

• “member of the staff”, in relation to a school, means any teacher who works at the school and any other person who, with the authority of the head teacher, has lawful control or charge of pupils at the school;

• “offence” includes anything that would be an offence but for the operation of any presumption that a person under a particular age is incapable of committing an offence.”

Marginal Citations

M1 1996 c. 56.

Detention U.K.

5 Detention outside school hours lawful despite absence of parental consent. U.K.

After the section 550A inserted in the M2 Education Act 1996 by section 4 of this Act there shall be inserted—

“ Detention U.K.

550B Detention outside school hours lawful despite absence of parental consent.

(1) Where a pupil to whom this section applies is required on disciplinary grounds to spend a period of time in detention at his school after the end of any school session, his detention shall not be rendered unlawful by virtue of the absence of his parent’s consent to it if the conditions set out in subsection (3) are satisfied.

(2) This section applies to any pupil who has not attained the age of 18 and is attending—

(a) a school maintained by a local education authority;

(b) a grant-maintained or grant-maintained special school; or

(c) a city technology college or city college for the technology of the arts.

(3) The conditions referred to in subsection (1) are as follows—

(a) the head teacher of the school must have previously determined, and have—

(i) made generally known within the school, and

(ii) taken steps to bring to the attention of the parent of every person who is for the time being a registered pupil there,

that the detention of pupils after the end of a school session is one of the measures that may be taken with a view to regulating the conduct of pupils;

(b) the detention must be imposed by the head teacher or by another teacher at the school specifically or generally authorised by him for the purpose;

(c) the detention must be reasonable in all the circumstances; and

(d) the pupil’s parent must have been given at least 24 hours’ notice in writing that the detention was due to take place.

(4) In determining for the purposes of subsection (3)(c) whether a pupil’s detention is reasonable, the following matters in particular shall be taken into account—

(a) whether the detention constitutes a proportionate punishment in the circumstances of the case; and

(b) any special circumstances relevant to its imposition on the pupil which are known to the person imposing it (or of which he ought reasonably to be aware) including in particular—

(i) the pupil’s age,

(ii) any special educational needs he may have,

(iii) any religious requirements affecting him, and

(iv) where arrangements have to be made for him to travel from the school to his home, whether suitable alternative arrangements can reasonably be made by his parent.

(5) Section 572, which provides for the methods by which notices may be served under this Act, does not preclude a notice from being given to a pupil’s parent under this section by any other effective method.”

Commencement Information

I1 S. 5 wholly in force at 1.9.1998 see s. 58(3) and S.I. 1998/386, arts. 2(4), 4, Sch. 1 Pt. IV, Sch. 2 Pt. II (subject to transitional provisions in Sch. 2 Pt. II)

Marginal Citations

M2 1996 c. 56.

Exclusion of pupils from school U.K.

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Textual Amendments

F3 Ss. 6-8 repealed (1.9.1999) by 1998 c. 31, s. 140(1)(3), Sch. 30 para. 208(b), Sch.31 (with ss. 138(9), 144(6)); S.I. 1999/2323, art. 2(1), Sch.1

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Textual Amendments

F4 Ss. 6-8 repealed (1.9.1999) by 1998 c. 31, s. 140(1)(3), Sch. 30 para. 208(b), Sch.31 (with ss. 138(9), 144(6)); S.I. 1999/2323, art. 2(1), Sch.1

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Textual Amendments

F5 Ss. 6-8 repealed (1.9.1999) by 1998 c. 31, s. 140(1)(3), Sch. 30 para. 208(b), Sch.31 (with ss. 138(9), 144(6)); S.I. 1999/2323, art. 2(1), Sch.1

LEA plans U.K.

F6 9 LEA plans relating to children with behavioural difficulties. U.K.

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Textual Amendments

F6 S. 9 repealed (1.3.2005 for E., 1.9.2006 for W.) by Children Act 2004 (c. 31), Sch. 5 Pt. 1; S.I. 2005/394, art. 2(1)(l); S.I. 2006/885, art. 3(b)