Isolation rooms, sometimes called “reset rooms” or “calm spaces”, are now a common feature in many secondary schools. They’re designed to maintain classroom order and allow lessons to continue without disruption. But a new study suggests that this approach may be causing more harm than good, particularly for the most vulnerable learners.
At Strategy Education, we support schools and teachers across the country. Behaviour management is one of the toughest parts of school life, and it’s easy to see why internal exclusion feels like a practical option. Yet growing evidence suggests it can damage relationships, reduce a sense of belonging, and widen existing inequalities.
What the Research Shows
A large-scale study by Thornton et al. (2025), Lost Learning: Prevalence, Inequalities and Outcomes of Internal Exclusion in Mainstream Secondary Schools, analysed data from more than 34,000 students across 121 schools in England. The findings make difficult reading for school leaders.
The study found that 8.3% of students are placed in isolation at least once a week, resulting in an average loss of 8.44 hours of classroom time. While intended to protect learning, internal exclusion often has the opposite effect, creating disconnection rather than reflection.
Even after accounting for behaviour, some groups are significantly more likely to be isolated than others, including students with SEND, those eligible for free school meals, boys, LGBTQ+ students, and pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds. For these learners, repeated isolation compounds the disadvantage rather than resolving it.
Students reported lower feelings of school belonging and weaker relationships with staff, while girls in particular experienced a measurable decline in wellbeing.
Why This Matters for Schools
Internal exclusion can seem like a fair compromise between suspension and classroom disruption, but in reality, it risks pushing struggling students even further from support. It may keep lessons calm in the short term, but it undermines trust, belonging, and the chance for genuine behaviour change.
This doesn’t mean isolation should never happen. There will always be moments where safety and order come first. But schools need to ensure that every instance leads to reflection, not withdrawal, and that patterns of exclusion are carefully monitored to avoid hidden bias.
Steps Schools Can Take
- Track data regularly. Audit isolation by demographics to identify trends and inequalities.
- Train for prevention. Provide CPD on emotional regulation, trauma-informed practice, and restorative approaches.
- Review consistency. Ensure all staff apply policies fairly and understand when isolation is appropriate.
- Listen to students. Gather pupil voice to understand how internal exclusion feels from their perspective.
- Integrate support. Where possible, link isolation spaces with SEMH provision or pastoral mentoring.
These small changes can turn internal exclusion from a reactive measure into a restorative one.
Moving Forward
The message from Thornton et al. (2025) is clear: internal exclusion has measurable negative effects on belonging, wellbeing, and relationships. For schools already stretched for time and funding, this is not an easy issue to address, but awareness is the first step toward change.
As one student in the study put it, being placed in isolation felt “like a dog in a cage.” That single comment reminds us why empathy, consistency, and reflection must sit at the heart of behaviour policy.
At Strategy Education, we work with schools to recruit teachers and leaders who understand that inclusion and discipline are not opposites. Indeed, they are partners in creating classrooms where every student belongs.
