NOT before time – that will be the reaction of many to Government plans to allow teachers to take tougher action against unruly pupils.

While we do not advocate the return of corporal punishment, it is clear that teachers have become emasculated by the policies of successive Westminster administrations.

Some pupils have a total lack of respect for their teachers and the rules and regulations that govern school life.

They make life difficult for their teachers and, more importantly, seriously disrupt learning for the majority of pupils who want to work hard and achieve their potential.

The raft of measures unveiled yesterday simplify the rules surrounding the use of physical force when removing unruly children from the classroom, and allow teachers to search pupils for alcohol, drugs and mobile phones.

We think the vast majority of people will welcome these measures. They will help to restore the balance of power in our schools.

There has to be mutual respect in the classroom to allow both good teachers and willing pupils to thrive.

The fault for much of the bad behaviour of some pupils rests firmly with feckless parents.

There is a significant minority of parents in this country who pass on to their children an utter disregard for authority.

These are the parents who will complain when their children are rightly disciplined at school.

Most parents are supportive of the schools their children attend. Most children behave appropriately in the classroom.

If these new rules help to reduce the unwelcome influence on the learning process by a disruptive minority then they are to be applauded.