Records relating to behaviour and use of force policy in schools

Request

Please confirm whether The National Archives holds, or is aware of the transfer, planned transfer, or retention, of any public records relating to behaviour policy and the use of force or restrictive practices in schools during the tenure of Ed Balls Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families covering the period 1 January 2007 to 11 May 2010 and during the tenure of Michael Gove, Secretary of State for Education, covering the period 12 May 2010 to 31 December 2014.

This request relates to records concerning the development, review, or oversight of policy on:

• Behaviour policy, discipline, and behaviour management frameworks in schools
  use of force or “reasonable force” in schools
• Restrictive practices, including restraint, physical intervention, isolation, seclusion, or removal rooms
• Links between behaviour policy and the management of pupils described as having 'challenging behaviour' or SEND
• Equality, safeguarding, or legal considerations linked to behaviour policy and use of force or restrictive intervention practices

1. Existence and transfer of records

Please confirm whether any public records within the scope above have:

• Been transferred to The National Archives
• Been selected for future transfer but are not yet open
• Been retained by the originating department under an approved retention or closure instrument

Where records exist or are scheduled for transfer, please identify the relevant record series references and, where available, the date of transfer or expected transfer.

2. Closure and access status

Where records within scope are held by The National Archives but are not open to public access, please confirm:

Whether the records are closed or retained
The statutory basis for closure or retention
The closure period applied

3. Records not held

If The National Archives does not hold, and is not aware of, any records within scope, please confirm whether this is because:

• No such records were transferred
• Records were not selected for permanent preservation
• Records remain retained by the originating department

Scope clarification:

This request concerns the existence, transfer status, and access status of records only. No copies of records or substantive content are requested.

Outcome

Information not held.

Response

I can confirm that The National Archives does not hold this information that you requested concerning the transfer, planned transfer, or retention, of any public records relating to behaviour policy and the use of force or restrictive practices in schools during the tenure of neither Ed Balls Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families covering the period 1 January 2007 to 11 May 2010 nor of Michael Gove, Secretary of State for Education, covering the period 12 May 2010 to 31 December 2014.

1. Existence and transfer of records

No records meeting this criteria have been identified. This is because records are typically transferred to The National Archives twenty years after their creation. For more information about this process please see our website.

2. Closure and access status

As no records meeting the criteria you have specified have been identified, no information is held.

3. Records not held

We can confirm that no records meeting the criteria you have specified have been transferred, and no information is held by The National Archives concerning whether the Department for Education has selected records meeting this criteria for future transfer or retention.