Children given ‘community service’ instead of detention - after schools told to 'include' pupils to protect them from knife crime

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Pupils at St Augustine's High School in Kilburn are ordered to clear plates in the canteen or pick up litter from the playground as punishment instead of being handed detention or being suspended.

A spokesperson for the school confirmed that they have different scales of punishment options, depending on the type of behaviour exerted.

It comes as figures from City Hall suggest school exclusions in London have fallen 14 per cent in the past year, after more than 700 headteachers signed up to an 'Inclusion Charter', in a bid to reduce youth violence.

It argues that misbehaving pupils are less likely to resort to violence if they feel "safer, more heard by adults and have a genuine sense of belonging".

Read more: London’s strongest defence against knife crime is keeping children in primary school

Read more: Hardline new headteacher sparks backlash after suspending 25 pupils in first week of school

Mayor of London, Lord Khan, told LBC: "We know the safest place for a young person to be is in school.

"Too many in the past have been excluded, suspended or been absent and the reduction we’ve seen has led to children and teachers in schools being safer, being more included and connected.

"The 'community service' here means kids, during the time when they should be having a break and doing fun stuff, instead they're doing stuff that benefits the school.

"And what we heard from the young people is that they quite like having a sense of belonging; it gives them ownership of the school."

During a visit to St Augustine’s in Kilburn, Sadiq Khan argued that the inclusion charter, which has led to fewer exclusions, has also contributed to a fall in knife crime in the capital.

ONS figures showed a 15 per cent drop in incidents over the last 12 months.

The head of City Hall's Violence Reduction Unit, which funds intervention programmes, said using community service alternatives as a punishment is helping to keep children safe.

Lib Peck told LBC: "If a kid is excluded from school they are twice as likely to get involved in violence that following year.

"Once they've been excluded they're on a much more difficult trajectory in terms of what they can do in their life that's positive.

"I was impressed by what I heard at this school.

“Rather than having detention and keeping people late after school and their journey home in the winter being more dangerous, which leads to them feeling more detached from the school, they’re empowering them to get involved in community service.

”It has been a real breakthrough.“

Last week, a new headteacher in Somerset was forced to defend a decision to suspend 25 students from his school in just a week.

Addressing online comments from parents, who'd complained that some included children being sent home for laughing in class, Dan Jeffries at Frome College, said he held "high expectations".

Jeffries said that his priority as interim principal had been to make sure every pupil studies in a safe and supportive environment and that no pupil was ever suspended for small matters.

He said: "We hold high expectations for behaviour, asking every student to work hard, be kind, and do their best.

“These standards prepare young people for successful futures, and our role is to provide the structure and guidance to help them thrive."

A Department for Education spokesperson said all children deserve to learn in a calm and safe classroom.

"While poor behaviour remains a challenge in some schools, the country has seen the biggest termly year-on-year decreases in suspension and permanent exclusion rates since the pandemic.

"High standards of behaviour are essential to raising standards in our schools, and we will continue working with schools to ensure every child has the opportunity to achieve and thrive."