NEW powers for teachers will allow them to crack down on the "am I bovvered?" generation of unruly schoolchildren, the Education Secretary has insisted.

Alan Johnson said many disruptive youngsters took their lead from the Lauren character in The Catherine Tate Show.

But, in an interview with the Sunday Mirror, he said they could expect to be hauled back into line with new punishments which come into law tomorrow.

Teachers will be able to use "reasonable force" with aggressive youngsters, confiscate mobile phones and hand out Saturday detentions.

Aggressive

"These new powers are aimed at unresponsive and aggressive kids whose attitude owes much to the 'am I bovvered?' character made famous by Catherine Tate," Mr Johnson said.

The measures, introduced under last year's Education and Inspections Act, are the first major change to teachers' guidelines on discipline for a decade.

Teachers have complained that the previous guidelines were not clear enough and it was not always clear that they had the law on their side.

Mr Johnson went on: "Most kids are well-behaved in school, but we want to take action against those who are consistently rude, disruptive and disrespectful.

"They're making life miserable for teachers and spoiling it for children who do want to learn.

"Teachers now have a clear legal power to act swiftly and decisively against trouble makers.

"It means kids that step out of line can expect to be appropriately punished."

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