New guidelines for staff on use of force in schools

It says schools do not need parents' consent to physically control and restrain children who are seriously misbehaving.

Guidance published by the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) today sets out for teachers when they can reasonably physically intervene to stop bad behaviour.

It says teachers can act when pupils are fighting and could hurt each other; when a pupil attacks a teacher or another student; and if a pupil deliberately damages property or continually refuses to follow instructions to leave a class; or seriously disrupts a lesson or school activity - like sports day or a class trip.

It also says teachers can restrain pupils who are hurting, or at risk of hurting, someone by accident, or if a pupil absconds from class, or detention– if that would put the pupil in danger or disrupt classes.

Setting out dos and don'ts for teachers, it says "passive physical contact" – such as standing between pupils or blocking their path – is acceptable, as is ushering a pupil away by putting a hand on their back.

Teachers can also use restrictive "holds" on pupils in "extreme" circumstances – such as if students refuse to stop fighting.

But using moves like the "nose distraction technique" – a sharp jab under the nose – are unacceptable, it says.

While schools do not need parental consent to restrain pupils, the guidance does say that parents, pupils and others should be consulted about the school's policy on use of force.

Children's Secretary Ed Balls was publishing the guide at the NASUWT's annual conference in Birmingham today.

He said the idea that schools should have "no contact" policies with pupils was simply a myth.

Speaking on Sky News earlier, he said: "We are issuing new guidance today to make things really clear. Sometimes there is a myth that the right policy is to have no contact at all, but that is ridiculous.

"If there is a fight going on, if teachers are worried about children being unsafe, if there is a pupil in their classroom who is refusing to leave, then the law is very clear – that teachers can use force in order to make sure there is proper discipline.

"What you can't do is use force to punish children."