In recent years, school exclusions have increased across the UK, and one widely used practice is the use of isolation rooms. These rooms remove children from their classroom environment and peers, often for extended periods, as a form of punishment and behavior management. While common, their implementation is highly variable across schools, with little statutory regulation or oversight.
Through interviews with eight young people, Sealy and colleagues documented students’ narratives of isolation room punishment. The accounts revealed deep frustration, anger, pain, and despondency, with one child describing the experience as being “almost a dog in a cage.” Students emphasized that they were denied access to the curriculum, stripped of physical activity, and deprived of meaningful social interaction. Such deprivation undermines both educational progress and emotional well-being.
The study underscores that best practice standards are lacking. By relying on exclusionary punishment rather than inclusive behavioral strategies, schools risk deepening disengagement and alienation among vulnerable students. The findings call into question the fairness, humanity, and effectiveness of isolation rooms, and highlight the urgent need for more supportive, inclusive approaches to behavior management in education.
Source: Sealy, J., Abrams, E., & Cockburn, T. (2021). Students’ experience of isolation room punishment in UK mainstream education. ‘I can’t put into words what you felt like, almost a dog in a cage.’ International Journal of Inclusive Education, 27, 1336–1350.
