Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will review the discipline guidance for schools to include the creation of more therapeutic educational environments.

In July 2022, the Department for Education published the updated ‘Behaviour in Schools’ guidance, which is the primary source of help and support for schools on developing and implementing a behaviour policy that can create a school culture with high expectations of behaviour.

Any school behaviour policy must be lawful, proportionate and reasonable and comply with the school’s duties under the Equality Act 2010 and the Education and Inspections Act 2006. Account must be taken of a pupil’s age, any Special Educational Needs or Disability they may have, and any religious requirements affecting them. Within these legal parameters, it is then for individual schools to develop their own policies.