The Labour government plans to eliminate practices like isolation booths and stringent behavior rules that frequently result in student suspensions. These measures are criticized for disproportionately affecting vulnerable students, including those with special educational needs (SEN) or behavioral challenges.
There is a strong emphasis on making schools more inclusive and supportive of all students, regardless of their background or needs. This includes revising the inspection criteria to ensure schools reflect their local communities and do not penalize those admitting students with additional needs. The existing system, which heavily prioritizes academic outcomes and overlooks factors such as the proportion of SEN students, is seen as punitive towards schools that prioritize inclusivity and support for vulnerable students.
Feedback from Education Leaders
Figures like Anne Longfield and others collaborating with the Labour education team stress the importance of fostering environments where all children feel welcomed and supported in school. This entails moving away from excessively strict disciplinary measures that may alienate certain student groups. Tom Bennett, associated with previous Conservative government policies on behavior management, defends the use of strict rules and removal rooms as essential for maintaining order and facilitating effective teaching environments.
Rosenberg emphasized that a significant consequence is that these students fall behind. They do not receive instruction while isolated, which is crucial for those who require proper teaching, education, and support.
He acknowledged that many of these children pose teaching challenges, noting that teachers should retain the ability to remove a student from the classroom for misbehavior. However, he argued that allowing students to accumulate multiple days in isolation only exacerbates their likelihood of further disruptive behavior and some even refusing to attend school.
“The extensive use of isolation may temporarily boost a school’s academic results, but it comes at a high cost for every child excluded,” Rosenberg added.
Paul Dix, a former educator in challenging school environments who now provides behavior management training to schools, stated, “Labour’s stance should simply be that an exceptional school succeeds for all its students.”
“Some schools resort to frequent suspensions or isolations, expecting behavior to improve… it doesn’t,” he continued. “Discipline is important, but it should not come at the expense of kindness. These practices must end.”
Overall, the Labour government’s approach aims to prioritize inclusivity, support, and the reduction of exclusionary practices in schools, seeking to create environments where all students can excel academically and emotionally.