New search powers for head teachers

New powers for head teachers to search pupils suspected of
carrying knives have been proposed by the government.

Heads would also be able to ask the police to make unannounced
swoops on schools to search children for knives.

The proposals were announced by Education Secretary Charles
Clarke last week at a conference for new heads.

Local admissions forums will share the allocation of difficult
children between schools to limit the number of previously excluded
children that each school would have to admit, under the
government’s plans. Schools will be encouraged to make formal
agreements with each other to pool behaviour support funding and
make provision for children who are excluded.

Schools will also be expected to beef up and clarify their
behaviour policies to spell out the standards expected, and to
include consistently applied rewards for good behaviour and
sanctions for bad behaviour. Schools would have a duty to make sure
that if pupils are off the school site at lunchtime they are not
causing trouble.

The government has also launched a consultation paper on
investigating allegations of abuse made by pupils against teachers.
Children who make false allegations could be excluded from school
under the proposals.

More proposals are to be published in the new year to make
teachers feel more confident about taking children on school
trips.