Scottish commission calls for tougher guidance on school discipline

The Commission on School Reform has called on the Scottish Government to issue new guidance to address what it says is a growing discipline problem in schools.

In a paper published today (22 September), the body – established by the independent public policy institute Enlighten – said poor behaviour by a minority of pupils was undermining learning, adding to stress among teachers, and contributing to Scotland’s decline in international education rankings.

The commission highlighted findings that nearly one in three Scottish pupils have high absence rates, compared with one in five in England, while surveys show more than 40% of teachers report daily classroom withdrawal by pupils and 92% say lessons are interrupted by mobile phones. Research also suggested incidents of sexist abuse against teachers in Edinburgh schools rose sixfold between 2020/21 and 2024/25.

The paper recommended that national guidance should assert pupils’ right to an education free from disruption, recognise the need for sanctions including suspension and exclusion, and emphasise the role of school leadership and parental support.

Carole Ford, former head teacher and commission member, said: “There has clearly been a loss of respect for education in some families. Support for teachers is not as strong as in the past, and there is a greater tendency for parents to side with their children against the authority of the school.

“All this is having a negative impact on behaviour. To make matters worse, current government guidance tends to imply that bad behaviour on the part of pupils is the fault of the teacher or of some shortcoming in the organisation of the school. Such guidance is both counter-productive and inaccurate.”

Enlighten director Chris Deerin said poor behaviour was linked to declining academic standards. He added: “The Commission has, once again, fearlessly articulated what they have called ‘an unthinking sense of entitlement’ which has developed since the Covid school closures. The Scottish Government should feel compelled to listen to this body of experts in order to, as they have written, restore order in schools.”