Waveney MP Peter Aldous has welcomed the Coalition Government’s plans to improve discipline in schools, as new analysis of government figures reveals how unacceptable behaviour became entrenched in a Suffolk’s schools over the last thirteen years.

Under Labour, 15 children in Suffolk were excluded every school day for abuse and assault, both physical and verbal, against their teachers and fellow pupils. Across the country as a whole, almost 1,000 children were excluded every day for abuse and assault.

The Coalition Government is planning to introduce a series of tough new measures to improve discipline in schools in Suffolk, including:

• Removing the power of appeals panels to send pupils back to schools where they have been permanently excluded by the head teacher.


• Abolishing the requirement on teachers to give 24 hours’ notice for detention.


• Making it easier for teachers to search pupils for items that cause disruption.


• Giving clear guidance to schools that ‘no-touch’ rules are unnecessary.


• Legislating to give anonymity to teachers facing allegations from pupils.

Mr Aldous said:

‘I am very pleased the Government is introducing tough but fair new measures to improve school discipline. There are disturbing levels of abuse and assault in our schools and not enough was done about it over the last thirteen years.

‘Teachers should not have to deal with this kind of unacceptable behaviour so frequently. With the Government’s new measures, we can really get to grips with the problem and improve behaviour in schools for everyone’s benefit.’