Need to Know - Powers to Control Behaviour

Mike Baker talks to Sir Alan Steer, the DSCF's behaviour adviser, about schools' need to understand their new powers to enforce behaviour policies, search pupils, and discipline pupils outside school.

Following his review of progress made on raising standards of behaviour in schools, Sir Alan feels teachers need to have more confidence about using the powers already available to them.

From the legal power to discipline pupils for breaking rules, to confiscation, detention and exclusions, there are firm grounds for using each of these in school.

More recently, headteachers have been given the power to search pupils' possessions and screen them for weapons. And all school staff have the power to discipline pupils on and off-site, if agreed by the school community and included in the behaviour policy.

Sir Alan also looks at how the Schools Secretary's new behaviour challenge will impact upon schools and inspectors.

The contents of this programme may no longer reflect current Government policy.