Cabot Learning Federation, which includes Bristol Brunel Academy, John Cabot Academy and Bristol Metropolitan Academy is at the centre of a ROW with parents. This is due to their new disciplinary policy, which is OPPRESSIVE to say the least

The new policy means children are being sent to ‘ISOLATION’ for speaking, chewing gum or not having the proper uniform. Even having your shirt untucked can lead to conflict with the wardens, er, I mean teachers! Stories emerging from parents suggest that having the WRONG COLOUR SOCKS can lead to a pupil missing a day’s schooling and being dumped in conditions that might meet a UN definition of torture!

Isolation basically means that the child is excluded from all lessons and is put into a bare room on their own with NOTHING TO DO. They are not allowed to speak to anyone and there is no education for the child that day.

While the schools’ web site bangs on about how absences from school means a child misses out and could fall behind, these schools are more than happy to let a child “miss out” for chewing some gum. Parents can get large fines and even prison for taking their child on holiday during term, yet headteachers get MASSIVE SALARY REWARDS for forcing a young pupil to miss a whole day of school for talking to a friend.

Parents say this DRACONIAN PROCEDURE is crushing children’s spirits and making them hate school. Many pupils are trying to get out of going to school. One pupil said that “they’re more concerned about my uniform than teaching me”.

Parents have spoken about their children being excited or enthusiastic about lessons then being put into ‘isolation’ because they vocalised their happiness. Some teachers are also unhappy with a regime that makes them ‘isolate’ more and more pupils for SOPPY INFRINGEMENTS.

Meanwhile school bosses continue to advocate this ZERO TOLERANCE rule for any pupil behaviour they deem a distraction. One parent who challenged this system was told in no uncertain terms that the school would EXCLUDE their daughter if she talked in class.

This was always going to be an issue with academies. They can bring in their own disciplinary policies and rather than support children with any behavioural issues they can just EXCLUDE them … After trousering the funding of course!

Teachers who used to manage classrooms and the children within are now instructed to get rid of any minor problem and SERVE A MESSAGE TO OTHERS. Then we’re left with desperately unhappy children whose spirits are crushed and who feel bullied.

Perhaps this gets them ready for the boredom of work in a warehouse or call centre after they leave Bristol Brunel Penitentiary? One disgruntled parent told the Bristolian that their happy child, who used to love primary school now hates school.

“They would do anything to get out of going,” she told us.