To ask what this means?

[WhyCantIuseTheNameIWant]

"Whole school detention"

For seniors.

It appears i misunderstood, so wondering what anybody else would expect this to entail?

They all get detained, not sure what else it could mean.

The entire school have to stay behind as a collective punishment?

I'd assume it means that the whole school has to do detention - but I'm guessing I'm wrong!!

Year 10 and up get detention

Whole school detentions in my school were when anyone who had recieved a detention, no matter what year group they were in or what subject they'd got in trouble in would do the detention togeher. Not that the entire scchool got detention. Perhap a bit of context would help, OP?

It could mean a whole school issue e.g. truancy rather than something related to a specific class like homework. Seems odd though, I've not heard of it in years of secondary teaching.

Mile end, spot on!

I was assuming all 2,000 kids would be kept for an extra hour, like the first few posts.

Which I thought was a bit harsh for ds, as he couldn't be bothered to put his PE kit in the wash...

Conversation went...

Me: are you seriously having a whole school detention as ds had muddy shorts?
Teach: yes, ds is required to serve detention for not having appropriate kit.
Me: but? The whole school? For a muddy pair of shorts?
Teach: no, not the whole school. The logistics of 2,000 kids in detention would be a nightmare! There will be a few kids from each year group, who have committed similar minor infringements. I think there are 9 from ds year.
Me: ah, ok. I'm glad I'm not signing this form for 2,000 kids to stay late! It's a 'mixed year' detention.

Haha can you imagine getting that letter, you daughter has a detention tomorrow evening because tim in year 10 didnt wash his shorts.

School posted a letter home

Dear WhyCant

Ds is required to attend a WHOLE SCHOOL DETENTION on 'date'

We don't like resorting to detentions, but if 6 or more bad notes have been made in the planner, a WHOLE SCHOOL DETENTION is the next step.

Please make sure you make arrangements for ds to get home at 4:30

Teacher

I hate collective punishments. Why should the rest of the year groups have to pay for their class mates sins. Not only that do these teachers not realise that it can breed resentment which could lead to bullying.

It's not a collective punishment. It's just for the OP's son, and if he's had 6 bad notes in his planner, he had fair warning!

Ohhh, I got it right, what do I win?!

Sounds like the set up at my old HS. 1500 kids, two whole school detentions a week.

One of those things that as a teacher seems obvious but clearly it isn't A bit like jargon I suppose. I can see now how this would come across to a parent

Can they just call it 'detention'...who cares who else is there and from which other year group?

Because it means something to the staff. Generally they are more serious than an indiviual teacher or department detention and are held by a senior member of staff (not always the case though). I can see how it means little to the parent though.

There may be 'lesser' detentions set by, say, a head of department. I think 'whole school' is meant to indicate the seriousness of the sanction.

Ridiculous terminology from an institution which is supposed to be teaching its pupils how to express themselves clearly.

I suppose it is like any 'technical' language - it means something to the user. I'm surprised OP's DC wasn"t aware of the meaning; this sort of thing is usually in school handbook / planner.