What assessment has the Minister made of schools' use of detention outside of normal school hours and the impact on pupils and parents, specifically where parents have to make their own transport arrangements for pupils and where detention has a negative effect on their extra curricular activities and home life?
Schools are responsible for developing behaviour policies that promote good behaviour and attendance.
Our guidance is clear that school behaviour policies, developed with the whole school community, should set out standard procedures on deciding how long a detention should be. When doing so, schools should consider whether it is reasonable to keep a pupil at school outside of school hours. Consideration should, for example, be given to whether the parent/carer can reasonably arrange for a child to get home from school after the detention and the implications on family life.