Trouble at School Q&As
When can the school give detention? My daughter was given detention after school for talking back to a teacher. She was supposed to pick up her little brother from the primary school on her way home - her brother had to wait.
All schools are allowed by law to keep your child after school for detention, without your consent, but detentions must be reasonable and in proportion to the offence. The school must give you 24 hour’s notice in writing if it wants to give your child detention. The school must tell you why they have given detention, and when, where and for how long your child will have to remain at school. You can object to it, but the Head is still allowed to go ahead with the detention if they wish.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Is it right that the school can exclude my child for wearing jewellery? She had her ears pierced for her 13th birthday and was given some really pretty earrings but the school say that it is against school rules, and that if she continues to wear them, she could be excluded from school.
You might feel that the school is over-reacting but, if wearing earrings is specifically prohibited in the school rules, then the school is entitled to exclude your child for breaking the rules. Schools are allowed to draw up rules of conduct, appearance and behaviour that children must follow. You knew the rules when your child joined the school so it isn't unreasonable of them to expect you to accept them.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
My son was in a fight. He’s 13 and he’s never been in trouble before. He won’t tell me all the details but from other kids who saw the fight, it seems another boy from his class was teasing him, and he just lost his temper and punched the boy. Now the school tells me that he’s a danger to himself and others because he can’t control his anger, and that they have a policy of excluding children who fight. Can they do that?
If your child has been in a fight, it’s reasonable that the school might want to punish him, but if he hasn’t been in trouble before, you also have a right to expect the school to offer him some help and support. Does he have a problem with anger? Is he being bullied and lashed out in response? There are all sorts of things a school can do to find out if there is a problem and to stop your son’s behaviour getting worse. Ask to meet with his tutor or Head of Year as soon as possible.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I hated school and did my fair share of bunking off when I was a kid, but I have just found out that my son has been leaving school in the middle of the day and hanging around the shopping centre. The thing is, I feel really nervous about going to see the teacher about it – some of the teachers were there when I was at school and they are the last people I want to see again. What should I do?
It’s easy to feel like a child again when you go into school, but you are an adult now and the parent of your son. The school will be pleased that you want to stop your son bunking off and should be keen to work with you. They are likely to suggest a joint plan of action. For example, you might take your son to school in the morning and meet him after school. The school might arrange for a mentor to talk to him and help him, to try and find out if he is truanting from particular lessons where there might be a problem with the teacher. They could then move him out of that class and teach him in the Learning Support Unit for a while.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
My 15-year-old son tells me he’s really bored in lessons and doesn’t see the point of carrying on at school. He’s desperate to find a job, but I keep telling him he has to stay at school. What can I do?
He does have to stay at school until the end of Year 11, but the school can arrange for him to spend some of his time outside the school, in work, if that is what he wants. The government has said that young people can start to work in approved companies and organisations for part of their time in their last year at school. Your son will still be on the school roll, and the school will check on his attendance and behaviour.
