Disciplinary warnings

A recent case should remind ASCL members that if an employee disciplinary warning is 'spent' it can not be resurrected in a subsequent hearing.

It is important to check what the school or college disciplinary policy says about this. In general, good practice is to delete warnings after about six months for a formal oral warning; 12 months for a formal written warning; and between one and two years for a final warning; but practices differ.

The seriousness of the offence is immaterial. In the case in point it involved a breach of safety that caused an explosion.

However, this criteria should not be applied to cases in which there is a suspicion of child abuse.