Nicholas Hancox argues that head teachers should be allowed to run their schools without police intervention
Police intervention in matters of internal school discipline is encouraged yet again by a new Act of Parliament. This is another step in the unwelcome process of turning errant children into criminals and, although it purports to strengthen the hand of teachers and heads at school, its result is the opposite.
The Violent Crime Reduction Act 2006 (VCRA 2006), s 45 will, when it comes into force, amend the Education Act 1996 (EA 1996) by inserting a new s 550AA. This section will apply in maintained schools, independent schools and EA 1996, s 482 academies.
The new s 550AA allows school heads and those authorised by them to search their pupils for knives and other offensive weapons. But, why the need to legislate? It is hard to imagine, whether in common sense or at common law, that a head teacher who suspects a pupil of carrying a weapon has no power to find and confiscate that weapon. At common law, head teachers are in loco parentis and have a duty,
