Parental Info

Dealing with Threatening and Abusive Behaviour from Parents, Carers and Visitors 

Written: January 2025

Review:  January 2026

Introduction

At Pike Fold Primary School, we value the positive relationships forged with our parents, carers and visitors to the school. We wish to work in partnership with parents and carers in order to create the best learning opportunities for their child so that we can reach together for success. 

We also strive to make our school a place where as adults we model the behaviour we teach and expect. We place a high importance on our school values together with good manners, positive communication and mutual respect.

Principles:

Almost all parents, carers and visitors to Pike Fold are keen to work with us and are supportive of the school. However, on very rare occasions, the behaviour of a small numbers of parents falls short of what we expect. This can sometimes manifest itself in aggression or abuse towards members of the school community or it can be written communication (including social media), on the telephone or in face-to-face situations.

To conclude, the over-riding principle of this policy is that all member of the school community has the right to work or be in school without fear of aggression or abuse from parents, carers or visitors. 

Staff conduct:

We expect all members of our staff to behave professionally, attempting to defuse the situation where possible and seeking the involvement of other colleagues as appropriate. However, staff also have the right to end any conversation (face to face or on the telephone) should they feel they are being threatened or are dealing with aggressive or abusive parents or carers.

Parents, carers and visitors conduct:

We expect all members of the community to follow these principles:

• Respect the caring ethos of our school and our School Values.
• To work together with teachers and other members of school staff for the benefit of our pupils.
• All members of the school community should be treated with respect and, therefore, we must all set a good example in our own speech and behaviour.

In order to support a safe and peaceful school environment, the school cannot accept parents, carers or visitors exhibiting the following behaviour:

• Any kind of threat
• Any kind of insult that is meant to demean, embarrass or undermine
• Any kind of conduct which undermines the safe and calm environment in a school, either in a school office, classroom, or on a school playground. (This includes parents entering the school without a member of staff being present)
• Raising of voice so as to be intimidating
• Using loud or offensive language, such as swearing, or displaying an unacceptable amount of anger and aggression.
• Threatening physical violence and the spreading of malicious gossip to a member of the school community (including other parents or carers).
• Damaging school property.
• Abusive telephone calls, emails, letters or other forms of written communication.
• Defamatory comments about school staff or governors (including on social media sites).
• The use of physical aggression towards another adult (including parents or carers) or child. This includes physical punishment of your own child.
• Approaching someone else’s child in order to chastise them.
• Any other behaviour (can be face-to-face contact, on the telephone or written communication) which makes a member of staff or pupil feel threatened
• Threatening/abusive behaviour towards other parents when bringing or collecting from school.

The Public Order Act 1986 defines “disorderly conduct” as: verbal abuse, threatening abusive or insulting words or behaviour or any disorderly behaviour whereby a person is caused alarm, harassment or distress. “Threatening behaviour” is when a person fears that violence, or threat of violence, is likely to be provoked.

In a school context this could mean someone shouting at a member of staff or parent, either in person or on the phone; acting aggressively, including using intimidating body language, as well as actual violence. It also covers comments posted on social networking sites or situations where members of staff are approached off school premises.

Recording incidents:

Any incident must be recorded by email or written communication to the Headteacher, this includes threats and verbal abuse to other parents:

• Trespass
• Verbal abuse
• Sexual or racial abuse
• Threats
• Aggression
• Physical violence
• Intentional damage to personal property or the school’s property
• Any racist comments
• Any injuries to staff or children

Procedure for dealing with abusive parents, carers or visitors

 Step 1 - Letter to explain what is considered acceptable behaviour

The Headteacher will send a letter to the parent(s) involved. It will be put to them that such behaviour is unacceptable and an assurance will be sought that such an incident will not be repeated. It will be stressed on this occasion that repetition of such an incident will result in further more serious action being taken. 

If the Headteacher has been subject to abuse, this will be done by the Chair of Governors (or other appointed governor, if the Chair is involved in the incident in any way).

At any stage, school may report serious incidents of abusive and threatening behaviour to the Local Authority. The school has a statutory responsibility to report any racist or discriminatory incidents to the Local Authority Any act of actual or threatened violence will be referred to the police immediately.

NB: Any incidents of violent conduct would immediately proceed to step 5.

Step 2 – Written warning with an invitation to discuss events 

If a second incident occurs involving the same person or persons, the Headteacher will write to the adult(s) informing them once again that this conduct is unacceptable and invite them in to discuss the events.

As for Step 1, if the Headteacher has been subject to abuse, this will be done by the Chair or other appointed governor.

Step 3 – Final written warning informing parents of imposed conditions

If a third incident occurs involving the same person or persons, the Headteacher will write to inform parents/carers of the school’s decision to impose conditions that restrict their access to the school (this includes a complete ban).

Step 4 - Letter from Chair of Governors to confirm or overturn Headteacher’s decision

The Chair of Governors (or other appointed governor) may write to the adult(s) giving a final decision to either impose the conditions set out in Step 3 or to overturn the decision.

 Step 5 – Involvement of the police 

Any act of actual or threatened violence will be referred to the police immediately.

Furthermore, if following a decision to ban a person from the school premises, that person nevertheless persists in entering school premises and is displaying unreasonable behaviour, such a person may be removed from the school premises as a trespasser under Section 547 of the Education Act 1996 and charged with an offence under the Public Order Act 1986.

All parents, even if excluded from school premises, have a right to seek an appointment to speak to school staff about their child’s educational progress, this can be arranged remotely.

Monitoring  

Behaviour of parents, carers and visitors will be monitored by the Headteacher and Senior Leadership Team 

 Review and Evaluation of the Policy                          

The policy will be reviewed in line with the governors’ policy review schedule or to reflect any curriculum/practice changes that take place within school or externally.

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