AIBU?
To think corporal punishment is illegal?
Itaintmebabeitaintmeyourlookin · 21/06/2013 23:17
Ds just got offered an academic scholarship to a private school. Reading stuff through before accepting it says in the small print
When I picked my jaw up off the floor I checked on wiki and saw it is illegal so why the hell is it in the terms and conditions ??
ReallyTired · 21/06/2013 23:22
Parents do not have the right to hit a child with an implement or leave a mark. I believe that corporal punishment has been illegal in private schools for round 20 years. I imagine that if parents gave permission for their child to be assulted then both the school and the parents would be legally liable.
Congratulations to your ds for getting a scholarship.
re repeated statements that the child will take part in all sporting activities unless excused by a doctors letter... Have written a cover letter for this as ds has asthma on exercise.Eyesunderarock · 21/06/2013 23:34
Will he be full time or part time?
news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/8468918.stm
YoniBottsBumgina · 21/06/2013 23:54
I would ask them. It might be a really old piece of literature, perhaps even from a previous head, which has been sent out by mistake or unnoticed. In any case I don't see how on earth it could be workable to allow it for some pupils and not others - either you're relying on the threat of physical discipline to keep order (in which case, what about the kids who they can't hit?) or they aren't relying on it at all (in which case, WTF is the point?)
sarahtigh · 22/06/2013 00:01
I think the sports thing means that full active participation in all sports is compulsory including playing for school teams at weekends etc if chosen and they only accept medical reasons for non participation
ie his GP will need to write informing them of his asthma to what extent it generally restricts him and whether with appropriate use of medication it rarely affects him or whether it has not been possible to completely control it with medication and therefore there is a max that your DS can do without breathlessness and that he is prone to episodes of breathlessness and that once he is breathless he must be allowed to stop rather than being encouraged to push himself further
I suspect sports are viewed as part of training a bit like in the army where you are really pushed to excel, go further, stamina etc
regarding corporal punishment just ask
regarding restraint it is still legal for a teacher to restrain a pupil in certain circumstances like to stop him hitting someone or throwing something at someone to preserve health and safety
YoniBottsBumgina · 22/06/2013 00:02
Hmm, but they don't usually put negative things like their sanction system on websites - is there a copy of their discipline policy to download? I'd be cautious if it seems very "positive discipline" and reward based as IME this means they tend to operate on a carrot/stick sort of model and don't rely much on other methods like looking for the underlying problem, talking, problem solving, encouraging students to help themselves/sort things out themselves etc. Obviously rewards and sanctions have their place but they shouldn't be the only motivations and if it is a boarding school (you didn't say) - this should be even more important.
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