Teachers are now allowed to use reasonable force

Teachers have been granted the permission to use reasonable force when dealing with behaviour, to touch students as part of tuition in things like PE and Music and to search their belongings. Schools will be blocked completely from implementing 'no touch' policies.

How many teachers are actually going to start doing this though? I suspect that even though the 'no touch' rule is not there, most teachers will adopt it as a personal code of practice.

The new guidelines do mention teachers who suffer from allegations from pupils, which are bound to increase as part of this change. Schools are asked to 'consider' involving police in malicious allegations, and are asked to resolve allegations within a month maximum.

I don't think that this is enough protection. I also think that all teachers are going to need specialist training in the use of this reasonable force in order to a. feel confident in using it or b. use it correctly.

I imagine any training offered will be retrospective of a case where it has not been used or has been used incorrectly, rather than being offered to every teacher before the new procedures are put in place.

I can't find one person who doesn't think this is a step in the right direction though.

Use 'reasonable force' on classroom yobs, teachers told: Telegraph
Teachers told to use ‘reasonable force’ when dealing with unruly pupils: Teacher Support Network
New guidance for teachers to help improve discipline in schools: DfE