Teachers Talk Radio The great 'isolations rooms' debate: The Twilight Show with Tom Rogers
Nov 28, 2025
In this discussion, Tom Bennett, founder of ResearchED and former DfE advisor, and Emma Clarke, Primary PGCE Programme Lead at the University of York, delve into the controversial topic of isolation rooms in schools. Bennett debates the terminology around 'removal' vs. 'isolation' and emphasizes the need for safeguarding and educational support. Clarke expresses concerns about the long-term impact of isolation on students' sense of belonging and advocates for systemic reform. Both highlight the importance of context, staffing, and providing supportive alternatives.
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Rename Reflects Purpose
- Tom Bennett rejects the term "isolation" and prefers "removal" to reflect purpose: protecting others and removing disruption.
- He says removal rooms are common and necessary where behaviour exceeds classroom capacity.
Question Survey Validity
- Bennett disputes the study's high prevalence numbers and attributes some to survey noise and definitional confusion.
- He warns self-reporting and 'lizard man' responses can produce implausible rates of use.
Disproportionality Has Multiple Causes
- Disproportionality in removal often reflects known risk markers like being male or older, not necessarily discrimination.
- Bennett flags circularity: poor behaviour can lead to SEND classification, inflating SEND representation in sanctions data.