NEW measures being promised by education secretary Ruth Kelly to discipline and restrain disruptive pupils is considered overdue but still very much welcomed, say LEA bosses in Bournemouth and Poole.

Ms Kelly says that she intends to bring in new laws outlining exactly what discipline is allowed in the classroom to put an end to unruly pupils taunting staff with, "You can't do anything to me, Miss."

Under the new proposals, parents will also be targeted to take responsibility for their children's actions, which could include a new offence and fines.

Cllr Tony Woodcock, portfolio holder for Children's Services in Poole, said: "I am pleased if Ruth Kelly has at last realised where government policies have led us and wants to improve discipline in schools.

"Increasingly, in the last eight years this government has seriously underestimated the role of fathers and has put into effect politically correct measures that have undermined the authority of both parents and teachers. In Poole we have sound strategies in place, but it has been a running battle to mitigate the effects of these detrimental polices. I hope Ruth Kelly is now going to help, not hinder us."

Nigel Bowes, Children's Support Services manager in Bournemouth, said: "We are committed to supporting school staff in their work with the small numbers of pupils whose behaviour is sometimes disruptive and challenging.

"It is recognised that a wide range of measures are needed to tackle this sort of behaviour successfully and the outline of these proposals could provide a helpful addition to those measures already in place.

"The involvement of head teachers in advising ministers is welcomed and we wait to see how the government will develop the proposals."

First published: October 22