1940s

Jim Skipper recalls that detention was at the end of the day for any pupil who had misbehaved - their name was entered in the Detention Book and any absentees were reported. It lasted about 40 minutes and was doubly punishing because it usually meant that you missed your transport home, severely delaying your return if you lived in Bletchley or Olney. There were another two methods for punishment: the first was to set extra work for a pupil to complete at home that evening, and the final option ws the cane. This form of punishment could only be used by the Headmaster. Jim recalls that the cane was used infrequently but there was one occasion when twenty or so boys were all caned in turn for not owning up to a minor misdemeanor in the air raid shelter when the Headmaster was struck by a piece of coke whilst inspecting the shelter.

1950s-60s

All types of punishments were recorded in a punishment book which has entries from 1959 to 1981. Looking at this book, it appears as only boys received punishment for misconduct for such misdemeanours as:

• Repeated naughtiness and interfering with sacks of waste paper awaiting collecttion
• Removal and reading of private letter from a girls satchel
• Missbehaving during assembly
• Urinating in another boys urinals.
• Spending dinner money on the way to school.
• Climbing though class window
• Writing names and rude words on a house on the way to shcool.

The punishment for such behaviour was variously recorded : spanking on buttocks (most serious), two on seat with (mild) slipper or perhaps four strokes of the slipper on the buttocks.

Peter Goodwin remembers an incident when all the boys in one class got the slipper because no one had owned up to a misdemeanour. The cane was used less often and a common punishment in detention was to write lines.

1970s

When Margaret Persaud started teaching at the school in 1977 she cannot recall any caning or the use of the 'slipper' although Tracy Greys notes that the cane was for the boys in the hands of Mr Speaks and the slipper was for the girls and in the hands of the deputy head, Mrs Healey.

The entries in the Punishment Book also finish at this time which suggests that this was no longer an acceptable form of punishment. The entries for the 1970s however give lists of boys (including some repeat offenders) who were spanked for such naughtiness as:

• disobedience and fooling in class
• flicking matchsticks about in the class during handwork session
• holding another boy's arm behind his back whilst on the stairs
• interfering with the girls coats in the cloakroom
• Climbing up toilets to peep in the girls toilets though a hole
• Bullying a girl and pulling her hair and kicking her
• Using wrong doors and going out though infants exit

1990s

Pupils who misbehaved were given a warning which was followed by a deduction of five minutes from the half hour Privilege time at the end of the week. Further 5 minute deductions for further misdemeanours could follow - if a pupil had a bad week they might lose the whole of their privelege time.