Every member of school staff holds the power, not just teachers and not just senior leaders.
It runs on the school premises and anywhere else you have lawful charge of the pupil, which includes trips. It exists to stop an offence, injury, damage or serious disruption — and it is never lawful as a punishment. Whether to use it in a given moment is a judgement, but a blanket personal opt-out is not something DfE expects schools to grant.
updated 8 Jul 2026last checked 17 Sept 2026
What the source actually says
The power, and who has it:
“A person to whom this section applies may use such force as is reasonable in the circumstances for the purpose of preventing a pupil from doing (or continuing to do) any of the following, namely— (a) committing any offence, (b) causing personal injury to, or damage to the property of, any person (including the pupil himself), or (c) prejudicing the maintenance of good order and discipline at the school or among any pupils receiving education at the school, whether during a teaching session or otherwise.”
“This section applies to a person who is, in relation to a pupil, a member of the staff of any school at which education is provided for the pupil.”
— Education and Inspections Act 2006, s.93(1)–(2), current text as revised legislation
Where it applies:
“The power conferred by subsection (1) may be exercised only where— (a) the member of the staff and the pupil are on the premises of the school in question, or (b) they are elsewhere and the member of the staff has lawful control or charge of the pupil concerned.”
— ibid., s.93(3) legislation
The guidance in force since 1 April 2026 says the same, and rules out force as a sanction:
“All members of school staff have a legal power to use reasonable force in certain circumstances.”
— Restrictive interventions, including the use of reasonable force, in schools (effective from 1 April 2026), DfE, April 2026, p.6 DfE
“It is illegal to use force on a pupil for the purpose of punishment.”
— Restrictive interventions, including the use of reasonable force, in schools (effective from 1 April 2026), DfE, April 2026, p.7 DfE. That capture holds two documents; the one quoted here is the current version, which took effect on 1 April 2026. The other, Use of reasonable force in schools, was effective only until 31 March 2026 and is not quoted here.
On opting out, the same guidance is blunt:
“Schools should not have a ‘no contact’ policy. Additionally, schools should not grant any requests by parents or staff members not to use reasonable force and/or other restrictive interventions.”
— ibid., p.7 DfE
Your school may still require it
Your school can set the policy around the power — who is trained, when a senior leader is called, how an incident is recorded and reported — and direct you to follow it. It cannot remove the power, and it cannot convert force into a punishment. Nothing here obliges you to intervene in a particular incident; the statute says you may use force, and DfE expects the judgement to be made on the circumstances in front of you.
See also Do I have to write up every time I use force on a pupil?, Can my school ban me from searching pupils or using reasonable force? and Can I search a pupil who refuses?.