Parents have criticised the use of isolation booths in secondary schools across England, where pupils are made to sit alone in silence for hours as punishment. The backlash comes after an analysis found that 45 schools excluded at least 20% of their pupils last academic year, with the Outwood Grange Academies Trust running nine of those schools.
Outwood Academy Ormesby in Middlesbrough topped the list, suspending 41% of its pupils. Parents at schools run by the trust have raised concerns about 'consequence rooms' – small booths where children must sit up and face forward, with no talking, tapping, or chewing. Toilet breaks are limited to three per day, each a maximum of five minutes, and pupils are not required to complete work.
One mother from Wakefield described the booths as 'barbaric', saying her son had lost days of education. Another mother, whose son attends a school run by the Delta Academies Trust in Yorkshire, said he received 22 hours in isolation in one week and came out shaking and unable to speak. 'Eight hours is far too long to keep a child in isolation,' she said.
In March, the National Education Union conference voted unanimously to oppose punitive behaviour policies, stating they contribute to a mental health crisis for children. A union motion argued that children need 'support, respect and love' rather than punishment.
The Outwood Grange Academies Trust defended the practice, saying the booths allow students to calm down and reflect. A spokesperson said the trust employs reasonable adjustments for students with special needs and invests in pastoral support. The trust also noted that Ofsted has rated five of its academies as 'outstanding' under the same behaviour policy.
