One in 12 secondary pupils report being put into school isolation rooms at least once a week where they often spend in excess of eight hours, missing more than a full day of lessons, according to research.
Children with special educational needs were more than twice as likely to be placed in isolation, otherwise known as internal exclusion, while students from low-income backgrounds were also disproportionately affected.
Pupils on free school meals were more than one-and-a-half times more likely to be placed in isolation than their wealthier peers, researchers found from self-reported data provided by pupils.
Children who identified as LGBTQ+ were nearly twice as likely to be in isolation, while Black, Asian and mixed heritage children were also more likely to be in isolation than their white British peers, the research from the University of Manchester found.
The use of isolation, and in particular isolation booths, has become a growing source of concern among some parents, who complain about an overly punitive system that harms their child’s education and mental health.
Isolation usually involves removing a pupil from a class for disruptive behaviour and asking them to work alone or in silence in a separate room, but parents complain that children can be put into isolation for minor breaches of school rules, which those with complex behaviours and special needs may find difficult to adhere to.
Unlike suspensions or permanent exclusions, there are no national rules on how isolation should be used, or for how long, and there is no publicly available national data.
The Manchester study, published in the British Educational Research Journal, is the first large-scale investigation into internal exclusion. The researchers say it shows the practice is more widespread and harmful than parents or school leaders realise.
They analysed survey data from the #BeeWell programme, a study of young people’s wellbeing based on a survey of 34,000 pupils at 121 mainstream secondary schools across Greater Manchester.
They found that 8.3% reported being placed in isolation at least once a week, and the average time pupils said they spent in isolation was 8.5 hours a week. Those put into isolation complained that their sense of belonging suffered, they had poorer relationships with teachers and lower levels of mental wellbeing.
“Internal exclusion is happening every day in classrooms across England, yet it is largely hidden from view,” said the report’s lead author, Emma Thornton. “We know that it can provide an effective short-term solution for teachers dealing with disruption in their class who want to create the conditions for all pupils to thrive.
“But our findings show that it is disproportionately applied to young people most in need of support, and leads to lost learning, weaker connections with teachers, and in some cases poorer mental health.”
Earlier this year the high court upheld the use of isolation booths by schools in England, dashing the hopes of campaigners who claim they are stressful and stigmatising for pupils.
Lawyers for three families argued that prolonged use of isolation booths for disruptive or violent behaviour was depriving children of an education at John Smeaton academy in Leeds. One child had spent 83 days in isolation and 14 days suspended – more than half the school year.
Mrs Justice Collins Rice found the school had not “crossed the boundaries of what the law or good practice permits”, despite questions about the “reasonableness” of the policy and the lack of alternatives.
The lead professor of #BeeWell, Neil Humphrey, said: “We know schools face huge pressures in managing behaviour, but our evidence suggests isolation is not the solution.
“We need investment in positive behaviour support, restorative approaches and better mental health provision – strategies that keep children connected to their learning and their school community.”
Kiran Gill of The Difference, an education charity for whole school inclusion, said: “What’s needed is more research and practice-sharing on effective ways to set up internal spaces that are diagnostic, supportive and get children back to class as soon as possible.”
Ellie Costello of Not Fine in School, which supports children and families struggling with school attendance, wants the government to ensure mandatory reporting of the use of isolation in mainstream schools, as is already the case with suspensions and exclusions.
Tom Bennett, a former teacher and adviser to the Department for Education (DfE) on behaviour policy, said: “When students persistently disrupt lessons, or attack or harass students or staff in lessons, schools have little choice but to remove the students temporarily from lessons.
“What other choice do they have? This is yet another attack on the duty of schools to keep students safe and free from abuse, by people with an axe to grind against all forms of adult authority.”
A DfE spokesperson said there should be high expectations around pupil behaviour and schools should expect parents to back them. “We are determined to get to grips with the causes of poor behaviour – including through access to specialist mental health professionals in every secondary school,” they said.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: theguardian.com
