The education your child receives at school is hugely important for their overall development and as a parent, you have the right to expect that it is in safe hands. You also need to know that there are procedures in place to challenge the situation if your child's education is suffering.
When the overall standard of behaviour in a school or classroom is good, everyone benefits. When the standard is high, children feel safe and settled and are able to learn well. Unfortunately, when the standard of behaviour is poor - and the overall standard can sometimes be affected by the actions of just one particularly disruptive pupil - then the whole class can suffer.
What to do if your child's education is being disrupted
All schools promote and reward good behaviour, encouraging their pupils to nurture self-discipline and respect for others, but some pupils struggle in this regard. Schools therefore must have a list of reasonable sanctions to impose on pupils who continuously misbehave. This will usually include the following:
- a reprimand, in the first instance
- a letter informing the child's parents or carers of the problem
- loss of privileges
- detention
- confiscating a child's possessions if they are inappropriate in the classroom (a mobile phone, for example, or music player)
- removal from class
Children may also be physically restrained if necessary, to stop them hurting themselves or others, or causing damage or serious disruption. Also, children who are consistently disruptive may be suspended or ultimately, expelled from school entirely.
If your child's education is being consistently disrupted by another child and you feel the school is not doing enough to rectify the situation, you do have the right to complain.
Complaining to your child's school
Ideally, any complaint you have with your child's school can be rectified by an informal discussion with either your child's class teacher or the school head. If not, you will need to refer to the school's formal complaints procedure.
In the first instance, most schools will ask you to put your complaint in writing and address them to the head teacher or principal. After which, if you have still not received a satisfactory response, the next step is to approach the board of governors of the school, again with a written complaint.
In some cases, you can take the matter further, escalating the complaint to your Local Authority or an independent appeal panel.
If you find that your school is being particularly unhelpful or you would just appreciate some assistance in making sure that your child gets the education that he or she needs and deserves, Match Solicitors can help. Give us a call today and talk to one of our specialist education solicitors about your child's situation in confidence. We will be happy to advise you regarding the best steps to take next.
