Magna Academy seeks disciplinarian to lead 'behaviour correction unit'

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A "strong disciplinarian" is wanted by a school to dole out "tough love" to unruly students.

Magna Academy in Poole wants to recruit a Director of Isolations and Detentions to work in a "purpose-built behaviour correction unit".

A spokesman said the unit allows the school to continue teaching disruptive students separately so no learning time is "stolen" from other pupils.

Addressing bad behaviour helps students "become good citizens", he added.

The director's role attracts a salary of between £24,964 and £29,323.

The job advertisement says the academy adopts a "zero tolerance" approach to bad behaviour, adding: "If you think it is mean to give a detention when a student does not have a pen, Magna isn't the school for you."

It says students "walk in silence" with "30cm pencil cases in hand" but the rules create "a very orderly school where children are safe".

A statement from the school said: "The reason this post has been created is simply to allow all our teaching staff the freedom to teach 100% of the time and to ensure that no learning time is stolen from our students."

Last year, Magna Academy, which is part of the Aspirations multi-academy trust, came under the spotlight when it emerged that poorly behaved pupils would be required to apologise to classmates in assembly - a move described by some parents as "bullying".

Headteacher Richard Tutt defended the approach, saying pupils were rewarded more than they were punished.

Chris McGovern, of the Campaign for Real Education, said: "In secondary schools it's usual to have an exclusion unit where they will have to work on their own for a day or two. It's more common than people realise.

"You can go too far but if you are going to get it wrong it's better to be too hard than too soft."

Magna Academy was rated Outstanding by Ofsted in its last inspection in 2015.