At the National Education Union annual conference, delegates recounted stories about school isolation rooms filled with SEND children. It seems that the use of ‘time-out’ or ‘reflection rooms’ is increasing at primary level. Suzanne O’Connell looks at this growing trend and its place in school behaviour strategies

At the National Education Union (NEU) annual conference earlier this year, stories were shared about the use of isolation booths for hours on end and for minor rule breaking.

In 2018, Freedom of Information (FoI) requests sent by Schools Week suggested that more and more schools are using some form of isolation as part of their behaviour management policy.

They come under different headings and names, such as inclusion units, consequence booths, time-out spaces or calm rooms, but they all have the intention of removing the pupil from the classroom for extended periods of time.

The diversity of approach and names was recognised in the recent Timpson Review of School Exclusion (DfE, 2019), which stated: “In-school units, where children spend time out of their normal schedule on their own or in small groups (but which are not formally designated as SEN units or resourced provision) are common, and yet are extremely diverse in their approach and design.” (For more on the review’s findings, see out coverage: Exclusions Review: The implications for primary schools: http://bit.ly/2wKyY6B)

Register now, read forever

Thank you for visiting Headteacher Update and reading some of our content for professionals in primary education. Register now for free to get unlimited access to all content.

What's included:

  • Unlimited access to news, best practice articles and podcasts

  • New content and e-bulletins delivered straight to your inbox every Monday

Register

Already have an account? Sign in here