To think corporal punishment is illegal?

[Itaintmebabeitaintmeyourlookin]

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 ??

[YoniBottsBumgina]

Must date from the 70s?? That's awful!

[Itaintmebabeitaintmeyourlookin]

Thanks all

[Itaintmebabeitaintmeyourlookin]

It's hilariously bad. And has worried me all week!

[cornyblend37]

oh thank goodness!!

[Itaintmebabeitaintmeyourlookin]

Received e mail back

We were horrified to read this in the terms and conditions and that no one has noticed this before, it must date from the seventies and has been overlooked. It has been deleted and a new terms and conditions attached

MN strikes again!!

[Itaintmebabeitaintmeyourlookin]

Not suggest.ing he can't do sports, he loves sports but has had trouble with football ( and thats only 10 or 15 mins a half atm)and cross country mainly. It varies but in good health, can participate in everything but may need to ask to stop for breath and inhaler and pace himself a bit. It's more I don't want them to force him to stay on pitch ( there's a lot of rugby) when he should be coming off.. Then can usually go back on again.

[sarahtigh]

I think they are going to want specifics regarding sport like DS can't do more than 40 minutes , long distance running, 90 minutes football/rugby is not suitable sprinting,cricket, swimming and tennis is,
as several eminent sportspeople are asthmatic they are not going to accept he can't do games fullstop, unless doctors says even with inhalers etc he must not max out, but go at 60% of max or whatever

[englishteacher78]

Shocking! With regards exercise-induced asthma, I suffer that why myself. I would have thought a note making school aware and a reminder to take inhaler and give it to the person in charge of training. He should be fine, as long as he's supported in dropping out if he needs to.
I ran the marathon this year after years of avoiding exercise due to asthma. Gradually building it up can improve exercise-induced asthma.
Good luck with sorting everything out.

[Itaintmebabeitaintmeyourlookin]

Good advice cory
I have asked the question ...can you clarify if this is current and what it means

[Itaintmebabeitaintmeyourlookin]

To Eyes ... Yes I am lol

[Itaintmebabeitaintmeyourlookin]

Have just sent an e mail

[cory]

If they are capable of sending out information from 20 years ago to new parents, I would be wondering how well their communication works in general. Imo good communication is essential in a school. Not impressed.

I would at the very least expect them to grovel and send out immediate letters of explanation to all new parents.

I would also check, casually and tactfully, that they actually know what the law says on the subject. A school that doesn't bother to keep up with the laws concerning their activity might go wrong in other areas where they wouldn't be asking for your consent.

At the very least, this looks extremely shoddy.

[Itaintmebabeitaintmeyourlookin]

I would have to clarify why it is there and if it is used for anyone

[aldiwhore]

Although I am pretty horrified, you won't be giving your 'express permission' will you so therefore, for you, it's not an issue.

Although I understand your concerns in general.

[Itaintmebabeitaintmeyourlookin]

Will try to ring tomorrow. If not will e mail for Monday and guess I can t send the acceptance yet.

[cornyblend37]

You really need to ask about the letter.

Either it's an old letter (but really?)and they'll be and if it's not then....it's up to you!

[Itaintmebabeitaintmeyourlookin]

Maybe I need to book ds in for a GP review and covering letter

[Itaintmebabeitaintmeyourlookin]

Sarah very good advice I think that is true. It s a very sporting orientated school and I think that rings true. Ds likes sport but has to pace himself and might panic if pushed too far.

[Itaintmebabeitaintmeyourlookin]

There is a structured reward and sanction system set out in the website including detention.
It is day and boarding and ds will be day pupil.

[YoniBottsBumgina]

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.

[sarahtigh]

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

[Itaintmebabeitaintmeyourlookin]

I am hoping it is out of date. The website is all about inclusion anti bullying and reward cards, respect etc and all seems fine.

[YoniBottsBumgina]

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?)

[cornyblend37]

no way could it have been photocopied by accident for that length of time...come on!