How to review your staff disciplinary procedures

Understand how to review your school or trust's staff disciplinary procedures, including questions you can ask. Save time with our policy checklist, and use our model policy to see what good looks like.

Updated
on 14 May 2026
See updates
Ref: 38497
Statutory/mandatory for:
Maintained schools
Academies
Free schools
Independent schools
Sixth-form colleges
Pupil referral units
Non-maintained special schools
Contents
  1. Key facts
  2. What this policy needs to do
  3. 3 key questions to challenge this policy
  4. Take a look at our model policy
  5. Examples from schools

What this policy needs to do

It should cover:

  • The purpose of the disciplinary policy and procedures, including definitions and scope
  • When formal disciplinary procedures will be followed, and how minor disciplinary issues will be dealt with informally first
  • The initial investigation process, including:
    • Who will be involved in the meeting(s)
    • Timelines
    • How the employee will be informed of the investigation and invited to meetings
  • How meetings to discuss the matter will be held, including:
    • Timelines and structure of the meetings
    • Information regarding witnesses and the right to be accompanied
  • Possible courses of action after meetings/the hearing
  • Appeals 
  • Working with trade unions
  • How special cases will be dealt with
  • Record keeping

Download our checklist

Use this checklist to help you ask questions of your school leaders, to make sure they've covered everything they need to in the policy.

Download: staff disciplinary policy checklist DOCX, 134.0 KB
Download

3 key questions to challenge this policy

Your school's policy should be in line with these key