The Conservative chair of the House of Commons Education Select Committee has urged two multi-academy trusts to “set the record straight” over claims relating to a controversial behaviour practice called “flattening the grass”.

Robert Halfon described reports that Outwood Grange Academies Trust and Delta Academies Trust deliberately set out to intimidate pupils as “truly alarming”.

Last week Tes reported claims that staff from Outwood Grange and Delta aggressively shouted at pupils as part of a “ritual humiliation” and “public shaming” aimed at instilling discipline.

How the story broke: Outwood Grange uses crisis managers to explain ‘flattening the grass’ 

Investigation: Insiders allege Outwood Grange ‘ritually humiliated’ pupils

Read: Teaching at ‘flattening the grass’ school ‘felt like being a prison warden’

After Tes published its stories, more sources revealed concerns relating to the practice, which was dubbed “flattening the grass”.

‘Flattening the grass’ allegations

Asked about the reports, Mr Halfon said: “It is concerning enough to hear of bullying occurring in schools but to learn that it may be being perpetrated by teachers with the explicit endorsement of the school leadership is truly alarming.

“School behaviour policies should be about reacting appropriately - and not overreacting - to genuine poor behaviour.

“Parents, in particular, would be rightly horrified at the prospect of their children being humiliated in school rather than being supported by teachers and by senior leaders.

“These schools need to set the record straight and, if these allegations do hold any truth, take urgent action to address concerns about their approach to managing pupil behaviour.”

Outwood Grange and Delta were both contacted for comment. 

Delta has previously told Tes that the “the trust does not have a ‘flattening the grass’ policy”. 

In response to a previous story on “flattening the grass”, Outwood Grange said: “In response to your questions, we ask: why are disgruntled individuals so keen to claim our pupils are unhappy when in inspection after inspection, Ofsted is lavishing praise on our schools for their happy atmosphere and outstanding academic progress?

“And why would record numbers of parents be sending their children to our schools if there was this negative culture our critics pretend exists?”