When Schools Take Away Recess

Published on 23 December 2025 at 14:00

When recess gets taken away during the school day, it’s rarely about “bad behaviour”.

A note for parents and caregivers, with your kids firmly centred. We hope this helps when planning for conversations and supports next year or reflecting on your child's school year and the support that they had from their current school during 2025.

We need to say this gently and clearly:

When a school removes a child’s recess to “talk about behaviour”, it’s usually not solving the problem it thinks it is.

And for many of our kids, it quietly makes things harder.

Recess isn’t a reward. It’s not a luxury. It’s not “extra.”

For a lot of children, especially neurodivergent children, recess is regulation, movement, sensory recovery, social practice, and nervous system reset all rolled into one.

So, when that time is taken away, the message the body receives isn’t “learn better choices.”

It’s you don’t get what you need to cope today.

Who this affects most (because it’s not evenly shared)

We see this pattern again and again:

The children who lose recess most often are the ones who already have the least spare capacity.

Autistic kids
ADHDers
AuDHDers
PDA-profile kids
kids with trauma histories
kids with anxiety
kids with communication differences
kids who struggle with transitions or sensory overload
Kids who need IEP's and adjustments (and we wish every child had the supports they required)

For these students, behaviour is rarely about defiance.

It’s information. It’s communication. It’s a signal that something in the environment isn’t working, yet.

Removing recess doesn’t remove the need.

It removes the child’s ability to meet it.

Let’s talk about why schools do this (and why it keeps happening)

Most of the time, this isn’t about cruelty. It’s about systems under pressure or outdated practices.

Recess is when staff are “available”
There’s limited time during lessons for relational repair
Old discipline models still frame behaviour as compliance
Detention feels measurable and familiar
Policies exist, but nuance gets lost in practice

The result?

A one-size-fits-all response to very different nervous systems.

And that’s where inequity creeps in.

This is where IEPs and adjustments matter (a lot)

If your child is neurodivergent or has disability, an Individual Education Plan (IEP) or equivalent support plan is not optional fluff. It’s a protective tool.

An IEP can (and should) include things like:

Protected access to recess and movement breaks
Clear statements that regulation time is not to be used as punishment
Alternative responses to distress-based behaviour
Sensory supports and transition scaffolds
A plan for when and how conversations about behaviour happen (hint: not mid-dysregulation)

If recess is essential for your child’s participation, learning, and wellbeing, that should be written down.

Because what’s written down:

is shared across staff
survives teacher changes
reduces “we didn’t know”
creates accountability

If your child doesn’t yet have an IEP, this issue is often the reason one becomes necessary.

What works better than taking recess (and actually reduces behaviour)

Here’s what best practice keeps telling us, even if systems are slow to catch up:

Regulation before reflection

A dysregulated child cannot problem-solve on demand.

Movement, quiet space for sensory avoidance, sensory input, or time outdoors often need to come first.

Repair instead of removal

Short, supported restorative conversations work better than long lectures or silent sitting.

Micro-responses, not mega-punishments

Two minutes of guided reflection beats losing the only movement break of the day.

Teach the missing skill

If a child keeps struggling, something hasn’t been learned yet.

Support the skill instead of escalating the consequence.

Predictability over punishment

Kids do better when they know what will happen and feel safe enough to try again.

For parents and caregivers: practical steps that help

You’re allowed to advocate without being “difficult.”

Some things that often help:

Ask for clarity

“Can you explain the school policy around removing recess and how it applies to my child?”

Ask for patterns, not incidents

“How often has this happened this term?”

“Is this response being used with the same students repeatedly?”

Get things in writing

After conversations, send a short follow-up email summarising what was agreed.

Name needs, not labels

“My child needs movement and outdoor time to regulate and participate in learning.”

Request adjustments formally

Ask for recess protections and alternatives to be added to the IEP or support plan.

Ask the better question

“What need was this behaviour communicating, and how can we support it next time?”

That question changes everything.

Principals set the tone (and the temperature)

School culture flows from leadership.

When principals:

treat recess as essential
understand disability as a participation issue, not a behaviour flaw
support staff with alternatives
value regulation as learning

We see fewer incidents, not more.

When recess is routinely removed, it often signals a system that needs more support, not stricter kids.

This isn’t about excusing harm

It’s about preventing it.

Neuro-affirming practice doesn’t mean “anything goes.”

It means we respond in ways that reduce future harm, rather than compounding it.

Taking away recess often teaches kids one thing very clearly:

When you’re struggling, your needs disappear.

We can do better than that.

And many schools already are.

If you’re navigating this right now and want help turning these ideas into a calm, clear email or IEP request, you’re not alone.

This is system work, not a personal failure.

And your child deserves regulation, dignity, and support, not fewer minutes of sunlight.

Knowing Your Rights

Recess, behaviour, disability, and what schools are actually required to do (Australia)

This is not about being adversarial.

It’s about knowing the framework schools are meant to operate within so you can advocate calmly, clearly, and effectively.

Recess is not discretionary for some kids

Schools can have behaviour consequences.

They cannot ignore participation, disability, and wellbeing obligations while doing so.

Key principles schools are meant to follow

Schools must:

provide students with access to education on the same basis as their peers
make reasonable adjustments where disability affects participation
consult with parents/caregivers about those adjustments
avoid responses that create barriers to participation

For many disabled and neurodivergent students, recess is a reasonable adjustment, not a privilege.

If removing recess:

worsens regulation
increases behavioural escalation
disproportionately affects students with disability

then it becomes a participation and equity issue, not just “discipline.”

What Queensland state schools are specifically meant to do

If your child is in a QLD state school, these points matter:

Student Code of Conduct

Schools must clearly explain consequences and how they are applied
Consequences should be fair, proportionate, and appropriate
Principals are responsible for ensuring practices align with policy

Detentions

Detentions exist, but guidance explicitly notes they should not:

o prevent eating

o remove necessary breaks

o be applied in ways that undermine wellbeing

Disability obligations still apply

Discipline does not override reasonable adjustment duties
Schools must consider whether behaviour is linked to disability-related needs
Adjustments must be discussed, documented, and reviewed

If recess is repeatedly removed instead of adjustments being made, the school is not following best practice.

IEPs (or support plans) are your strongest protection tool

An IEP, Student Support Plan, or equivalent should clearly state:

that recess and movement breaks are essential for regulation
that recess is not to be removed as a default consequence
what alternative responses will be used instead
how and when behaviour discussions will occur
who is responsible for implementing supports

If it’s not written down, it’s vulnerable to staff changes, busy days, and “that’s how we’ve always done it.”

You are allowed to request:

an IEP meeting
amendments to an existing plan
written confirmation of agreed adjustments

This is not asking for special treatment.

It’s asking for equitable access.

Red flags to watch for

These phrases often signal a need to pause and reset the conversation:

“This is just our standard consequence”
“All students are treated the same”
“They need to learn there are consequences”
“We’ll take recess so we can talk”
“We don’t usually put that in writing”

Consistency is not equity.

And regulation is not optional for disabled students.

What to ask for (plain language)

You are within your rights to ask:

How does removing recess support my child’s regulation and participation?
Has this consequence been reviewed through a disability justice, social model, or human rights lens?
What reasonable adjustments are being implemented instead?
Can we document protected access to recess in the IEP?
How will staff be informed of this adjustment?

Asking these questions is not “challenging authority.”

It’s participating in your child’s education.

If you need to escalate (without burning bridges- ask an advocate to do this for you instead if necessary- it's less of a personal attack, then )

Escalation doesn’t mean anger. It means structure.

You can:

request a formal meeting with leadership
ask for regional support involvement (public system)
request written reasons for decisions
seek advocacy support if needed

Document everything.

Keep language neutral.

Let the policy framework do the heavy lifting.

Email Template Options

(Pick one. Adjust as needed. Keep it boring. Boring emails help protect kids.)

Template 1: Requesting clarification + pause on recess removal

Hello [Teacher/Deputy/Principal],

I’m writing to follow up on recent occasions where [Child’s name]’s recess was removed in response to behaviour concerns.

Because recess and movement breaks are essential for [Child’s name]’s regulation and ability to participate in learning, I’m concerned that removing this time may be creating additional barriers rather than supporting skill development.

Could you please clarify:

the school policy that governs removal of recess or detention use
how this aligns with reasonable adjustment obligations
whether alternative responses have been considered

I’d appreciate pausing the removal of recess while we review this together and discuss more supportive options.

Thank you for your time and support.

Kind regards,

[Your name]

Template 2: Requesting IEP adjustments (strong but calm)

Hello [Principal/Support Team],

I’m requesting a review/update of [Child’s name]’s IEP (or support plan) to explicitly include protected access to recess and movement breaks.

For [Child’s name], outdoor and movement time is a key regulation support and is necessary for participation in learning. Removing recess has been associated with increased dysregulation and does not support skill development.

I’m requesting that the plan include:

confirmation that recess is not to be removed as a default behaviour consequence
agreed alternative responses to behaviour concerns
clarity about when and how behaviour discussions will occur
communication of these adjustments to all relevant staff

Please let me know a suitable time to meet and document these adjustments.

Thank you for working collaboratively with us.

Kind regards,

[Your name]

Template 3: If the pattern continues

Hello [Principal],

I’m following up regarding the continued removal of [Child’s name]’s recess despite previous discussions.

Given [Child’s name]’s needs, this practice is impacting their regulation, participation, and wellbeing. I’m concerned this may not align with reasonable adjustment obligations or best practice.

I’m requesting: