Can my child be detained after school for failure to submit his/her homework?
Detention is one of the sanctions schools can use. The Education Act of 1987 gives schools legal backing to detain pupils after the end of a school session on disciplinary grounds. Detentions can also be issued for lunchtimes. However, a school must, by law, give at least 24 hours written notice of after school detentions. This is to allow time for a parent or guardian to raise any problems: Parents objecting to a detention should present the relevant facts for the school to take into account. Examples of such facts would be: That the detention is on a day of religious observance for the family Concern about the length and safety of the walking route between the school and the child’s home; or The need for transport home if the parent cannot collect the child that day or make alternative arrangements If a parent is dissatisfied with the response from the school, they can complain to the Headteacher, or the school’s Governing Body, under the normal complaints procedure. However, there w
