Is Corporal Punishment still legal in private schools in the UK?

Answer 1

Not sure, but it should be legal in ALL schools.

Answer 2

Corporal Punishment is no longer legal in the UK. The school system in the UK now avoids all forms of physical correction altogether, favouring other methods such as "Reality Therapy" and "Assertive Discipline". Its total abolition is something that has been discussed by many countries and the United Nations human rights standards strongly discourage the use of this punishment.

As well as Corporal Punishment in schools being illegal in the UK it has recently come to pass that it is also illegal within the domestic setting as parents are no longer permitted to use this form of punishment on their children.

Answer 3

The debate over corporal punishment has been long and hard over the years. I myself was often caned at school usually but not always I deserved it and sometimes when I did deserve it I was not given the wacker I suppose a swings and roundabouts situation. and yes sometimes it was abused. It was not pleasant but like most boys of that time I would rather that than detention or lines because it meant that I could get on with life. As I got older the cane was used less often on the ground that only silly little boys got the cane and you lost the respect of you contemporaries not only for being daft enough to get caught
It may be a spurious correlation but little old ladies did not often have their houses broken into and most of us did not tell our parents (they usually found out we had misbehaved on open night ) because it would have entailed further punishment. As I grew older in school so the cane was used less often and then it was "if you are going to be a silly little boy you will be treated as one"

Answer 4

Corporal punishment is prohibited in all schools in the UK. Only in the Czech Republic is this not the case with Europe. Corporal punishment was a thing of the past in the UK, and with all of the liberalism it has disappeared.

Answer 5

Hi there,

corporal punishment is illegal within the UK. If a child is in private school then the school assumes the role of parent (in loco parentis) and are allowed by the Children and young persons act to reasonably chastise a child in their care, who misbehaves. However, such chastisement must be reasonable. Following the landmark decision in R-v-Brown the law on consent to physical harm was massively curtailed. The decision stated that no-one can actively consent to any form of physical harm being inflicted upon them. Thus it is unlawful now to inflict harm against a persons wishes upon that person, as well as according to their wishes (sado masochism).

Moreover, as pupils within a private school are usually minors (under 18 years of age). The law states that they are not of an age where they can form the required intention to consent to physical violence of any kind against them. Reaffirming the decision in Brown. Thus any form of physical harm brought to bear upon a minor at private school is punishable in English law. If they are hit then an assault charge may be proferred. If bleeding results or bruising then Section 47 Offences Against the Persons Act 1847 is applicable (ABH). Anything worse could lead to grievous bodily harm charges being brought under either Section 20 (Causing GBH) or Section 18 (Inflicting GBH). Thus although the school still reserves the right to reasonably chastise their pupils the reasonableness test has been significantly diluted. Moreover the Human Right Act 1988 disallows any conduct against any person, which is inhumane, unfair or degrading further eroding the rights of schools to punish pupils.

Kind regards

Michael Cavanagh
London England

Answer 6

They should bring it back it never hurt me i got whacked plenty. I soon learnt to have respect for other people. never mind the sodding dogooders bring it back for them as well. It`s them that have caused the problem. And the country is in the state it is. bully`s no problem . bully them. they will stop it.