“Tuck your shirt in. Spit out that gum. Put that fire out. And that one.”
Words familiar to anyone who went through school. Rules, rules, rules, and a bit of learning. Rules, of course, were made to be broken, but one British school has introduced so many strict rules that it’d be hard to know if you were breaking a rule or not.
King James’s School in Huddersfield recently introduced 40 new rules, falling under the categories of Manners, Uniform and Behaviour.
Some of the rules are fairly straightforward: no inappropriate school shoes, no using your mobile in class, no abusive language – the kind of stuff you’d expect to not be cool at school.
But some of the rules are a bit harsher, including things like: no slouching, no looking out the window, no replying to a question with ‘dunno, yeah, huh’ and no rolling of eyes.
Head Teacher Ian Rimmer said on the school website: “Our ethos demands the best from everyone. We take pride in preparing our students socially as well as academically.”
Described by Metro as “Britain’s strictest school“, there’s no doubt that the rules at King James’s are stricter than many other schools, but for former student Morgan Burton, they’re too much.
“It clearly removes students rights for self expression and free speech creating a narrative whereby the administration of a government-funded school is implementing its own beliefs which contradict the most basic of human rights,” Burton said.
King James’s School Rules
At King James’s School, we consider excellent behaviour to be a fundamental requirement for success. We take pride in preparing our students socially as well as academically. To this end, the following behaviours are considered unacceptable at King Jame’s School and will be challenged by all staff:
Uniform
1. Not wearing school jumper or tie correctly
2. Wearing incorrect school shoes
3. Wearing hoods up/hats inside school
4. Wearing incorrect trousers/skirts
5. Wearing make-up/incorrect piercings
6. Using earphones, or visible wires/mobiles out in lessons
Manners
7. Not replying when you greet them
8. Not holding doors open for other people
9. Not saying please/thank you or in a sarcastic way
10. Thanking other people in an inappropriate way
11. Entering a classroom without knocking
12. Smirking/smiling/screwing face up/raising eyebrows/looking at others when told off
13. Shrugging shoulders
Response
14. Saying ‘why?’ when questioned about behaviour
15. Saying ‘dunno, yeah, huh’ when asked a question
16. Saying ‘okay’ when told off
17. Rolling eyes
18. Rude tone of voice
19. Answering in a silly voice
20. Not looking directly at staff when talking to them/paying attention to when spoken to
Behaviour out of lessons
21. Loud/boisterous behaviour in corridors
22. Pushing/charging around in corridor
23. On corridor during lesson time without pass/note in planner
24. Deliberately walking slowly/ causing blockages
25. Unnecessary accompanying of friends in corridors during lessons/registrations
26. Pushing in the dining room queue
27. Intimate behaviour in corridors
Behaviour in lessons
28. Looking out of window instead of the board
29. Interrupting staff or peers
30. Getting out of seat without permission
31. Turning around when told not to
32. Swinging on chairs
33. Slouching
34. Tapping on tables, window ledges/walls
35. Drinking liquids other than water in lessons
36. Eating/chewing gum in lessons
General Behaviour
37. Making funny noises/whistling
38. Using rude, abusive, derogatory language
39. Using slang
40. Swearing
