Being held back after school (UK)

[Deep Sea Isopod]

I just want to ask if anyone knows the law/rules on children being held in class after the bell rings, regardless of their behaviour. I'm not talking detention, just being held back to complete their work.
It's just that my son's entire class are constantly being held back, nearly every Tuesday, in the maths class. I went to pick him up today, and he was held back for 25 minutes. 2 weeks ago it was 5,30n when he got home (mostly because of public transport. If he isn't let out on time, later buses are usually full and he can't get on and has to wait for the next one)
So, I just want to know if the school are allowed to do this? Anyone know?

[Rum]

Yes they are as long as it is 'reasonable'. They used to have to give notice of detention and also this kind of 'staying back' but no longer. Kids are entitled to a specific number of days of schooling over year, but schools can offer more. If you don't think it is reasonable then you are within your rights to challenge it via the head teacher. He/she will no doubt suggest that a minor inconvenience is worth it for the sake of your child's education..

A good headteacher would check the issue out with parents though. Families have all sort of complicated care arrangements after school after all!

[Deep Sea Isopod]

Thanks Rum.
It's just starting to piss me off a bit that it's the same teacher doing it nearly every week. And as you say, some parents have complicated care arrangements.
I think I may send an email.

[Seth]

Thanks Rum.
It's just starting to piss me off a bit that it's the same teacher doing it nearly every week. And as you say, some parents have complicated care arrangements.
I think I may send an email.

If the whole class is being kept back routinely, this is an indication that the TEACHER is demonstrating incompetence at his/her job. That's where I'd spend my efforts.

[HomerJay]

Our son's school says a maximum of 15 minutes before they say they will inform parents of lateness.

I guess it's possible the school thinks it is doing a good thing by teaching for longer?

It could be seriously inconvenient if the pupil had after school activities.

Secondary schools don't give a shit about the parents in general, they meet their duties to the pupils and little else.

I've got a meeting with my son's tutor tomorrow at 945am, only arranged noon Friday (minus bank Holiday) and despite of this the tutor's been a little shit today (4 working hours later), so I don't have much option tomorrow except to go in and say I think he's acting like a stupid little cunt.

Either that or phone in after the meeting should have happened and rearrange for an hour later in day, just to mess the twat about.

[Deep Sea Isopod]

Either that or phone in after the meeting should have happened and rearrange for an hour later in day, just to mess the twat about.

[Deep Sea Isopod]

Thanks Rum.
It's just starting to piss me off a bit that it's the same teacher doing it nearly every week. And as you say, some parents have complicated care arrangements.
I think I may send an email.

If the whole class is being kept back routinely, this is an indication that the TEACHER is demonstrating incompetence at his/her job. That's where I'd spend my efforts.

I definitely think it's this. It's only ever this one teacher when they have double maths on Tuesday. And as I said, it was 25 minutes late at letting them out. And my son told me, once the teacher even stood in front of the door to stop them leaving, so a couple of kids climbed out through the window.

[Xamonas Chegwé]

Keeping back an entire class seems excessive... and smacks of teacher incompetence. But kids can be total shits in class and (having trained as a classroom teacher and abandoned it as a career option, I can sympathise with a teacher trying to maintain order in a particularly obstreperous class.

However, surely the school should take action if whole-class detention is becoming a regular event! It is neither helpful, nor effective, for anyone concerned.

That teacher wouldn't happen to be a student, or a supply teacher, would they? It seems an unusual line for a regular teacher to take, even with a seriously disruptive class. At the very least, that teacher should be allowing the few kids that are not misbehaving to leave on time!