Need-to-know: DfE launches consultation on 'use of reasonable force' draft guidance

The draft guidance on the use of reasonable force in schools includes a new requirement to record and report every 'significant incident' in which a member of staff uses force on a pupil. Find out how to respond to the consultation, which you'll need to do by Tuesday 29 April.

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on 5 February 2025
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The DfE is consulting on an update to its guidance on using 'reasonable force and other restrictive interventions in schools'.

You can read the proposed guidance on the DfE's website (select 'Use of reasonable force and other restrictive interventions guidance' at the bottom of the page).

Remember, this is draft guidance, so don't implement it, or make any changes to your policies or procedures. 

You can have your say by following the link to the consultation and selecting 'online survey'. The deadline for responses is Tuesday 29 April 2025.

Only 1 part of the draft guidance is set to become statutory (from September 2025)

The draft guidance sets out the details that should be recorded, as a minimum. It also sets out what should be included in