One in 12 secondary pupils put in isolation rooms at least once a week, study finds | Schools
According to the research, one in 12 secondary school students report being placed in school isolation rooms at least once a week, where they often spend more than eight hours and miss more than a full day of class.
Children with special educational needs are more than twice as likely to be placed in isolation, also known as internal exclusion, while pupils from low-income backgrounds are also disproportionately affected.
From data provided by students, the researchers found that students on free school meals were one and a half times more likely to be isolated than their more affluent peers.
Children who identified as LGBTQ+ were almost twice as likely to be isolated, while children from Black, Asian and mixed backgrounds were also more likely to be isolated than their white British peers, according to research from the University of Manchester.
The use of seclusion, and particularly isolation booths, has become a growing source of concern among some parents who complain about an over-punishment system that is harming their children’s education and mental health.
Seclusion usually involves removing a student from the classroom for disruptive behavior and asking him/her to work alone or quietly in a separate room; but parents complain that children may be placed in isolation for minor infractions of school rules, which those with complex behavior and special needs may find difficult to comply with.
Unlike suspensions or permanent suspensions, there are no national rules on how or for how long isolation should be used, and there is no publicly available national data.
The Manchester study, published in the British Journal of Educational Research, is the first large-scale study of internal exclusion. Researchers say this shows that the practice is more common and harmful than parents or school leaders realize.
They analyzed survey data from the #BeeWell programme, a study into young people’s wellbeing based on a survey of 34,000 students across 121 mainstream secondary schools in Greater Manchester.
They stated that 8.3% of students were isolated at least once a week and the average time students spent in isolation was 8.5 hours per week. Those placed in isolation complained that their sense of belonging was damaged, their relationships with teachers were poor, and their mental health levels were low.
“Exclusion occurs every day in UK classrooms, but it is largely hidden from view,” said Emma Thornton, lead author of the report. “We know this can provide an effective short-term solution for teachers who are dealing with disruption in their classrooms and want to create the conditions for all students to thrive.
“But our findings show that it applies disproportionately to young people who need support most, leading to learning loss, poor connections with teachers and, in some cases, poor mental health.”
Earlier this year the high court approved the use of isolation cubicles in schools in England, dashing the hopes of campaigners who claimed it was stressful and stigmatizing for pupils.
Lawyers for three families argued that the prolonged use of isolation booths for disruptive or violent behavior deprived the children of an education at the John Smeaton academy in Leeds. One child spent 83 days in isolation and 14 days suspended from school; this accounted for more than half of the school year.
Mrs Justice Collins Rice found the school had “not exceeded the limits of what is permitted by law or good practice”, despite questions about the “reasonableness” of the policy and the lack of alternatives.
#BeeWell head professor Neil Humphrey said: “We know schools face huge pressures to manage behaviour, but our evidence shows isolation is not the answer.
“We need to invest in positive behavior support, restorative approaches and better mental health provision – strategies that keep children connected to their learning and school communities.”
Kiran Gill, of The Difference, an education charity for whole school engagement, said: “What is needed is more research and practice sharing on effective ways to create internal spaces that are diagnostic, supportive and get children back into the classroom as quickly as possible.”
Ellie Costello, of Not Fine in School, which supports children and families struggling to attend school, wants the government to ensure mandatory reporting of the use of seclusion in mainstream schools, as is the case with suspensions and exclusions.
Tom Bennett, a former teacher and behavioral policy advisor to the Department for Education (DfE), said: “When students persistently disrupt lessons or attack or harass students or staff in lessons, schools have no choice but to temporarily remove students from lessons.
“What other options do they have? This is yet another attack on schools’ duty to keep students safe and free from abuse by individuals with an ax to grind against any adult authority.”
A DfE spokesman said there should be high expectations for student behavior and schools should expect parents to support them. “We are committed to addressing the causes of bad behaviour, including access to specialist mental health professionals in every secondary school,” they said.
