School tells naughty pupils to carry out community service
would be cancelled “should the pupil undertake 30 minutes of community service” at lunchtime “such as litter picking or assisting in clearing the canteen. Pupils will wear a green hi-viz bib.”
Principal Sarah Holmes-Carne said a consultation is now open to parents, students and staff and said she was “more than happy to listen to parents’ views”.
She said: “We are extremely receptive to all views and would encourage parents to contact the school accordingly if they have any suggestions or concerns.
“We are hoping to use this feedback to inform some changes to our behaviour policy, one aspect of which is to encourage constructive sanctions that support the school community and maintain the very high standards of positive behaviour we expect from our students.”
A mother of a pupil at the school said she approved of the plan. “If other measures are not working then I fully back the school in implementing this,” she said.
“Peer pressure is an important tool and I’m sure children might think twice about their naughty behaviour if they knew it would result in them being embarrassed in front of their friends. It would also help keep the school tidy.”
In 2014, then Education Secretary Michael Gove said pupils should be made to do chores like litter picking under a list of government-approved punishments, which included mopping floors.
Ofsted boss Amanda Spielman backed the move earlier this year, telling a conference: “I think it’s entirely appropriate to use sanctions, such as writing lines, ‘community service’ in the school grounds such as picking up litter, and school detentions.
“Where they are part of a school’s behaviour policy they’ll have our full support.”