Below is Paul Dix's answer to a behaviour question asked by a TES reader. The response was published in the TES:
The Problem:
I was subjected to a tirade of swearing by a pupil. Senior management seem to sympathise with him as he often does this, so he will only get a telling off. What should I do?
The Expert View:
You don’t come to work to be sworn at. The consequences need to be immediate and predictable. If you are not confident of support from senior management, a good head of department will be able to impose a sanction that fits and involves parents. Swearing at staff is out of order. Pupils know they are crossing a line, staff recognise it and even the most unhelpful parents see it. Ideally, the leadership team would hold a clear line and the message would echo through the school. If this line is not obvious, ask for it to be clarified.
Exclusion might seem the obvious response, but is not necessarily the most effective. I understand the urge to have some respite from the pupil. But if the immediate consequence is exclusion, you are giving some pupils an open door to a day of watching TV. Some pupils fear the cliff edge of exclusion; others have learnt that it isn’t really that far to fall.
The pupil needs to apologise. Even when behaviour is appalling and the natural response is to back away, it is wise to stay connected to the event. Ask for support, but don’t pass responsibility over. The long-term solution lies in your relationship with the pupil. Through this difficult incident, you may find you come to a better understanding of each other.
Pupils decide who they direct poor language at and which lessons they will try to swear openly in. With a consistent line, you will make it hard for him to choose to direct it at you.