What is a school exclusion?

The following information applies to schools maintained by the local authority and academies. Independent schools have much more discretion to set their own policies around exclusion.

Exclusion is a form of punishment that the school can use for bad behaviour.  There are two types of exclusion:

Suspension: If you receive a suspension, you will be sent home for a certain number of days. The school has the right to suspend you for up to 45 school days in a single academic year, and this can be made up of a variety of short exclusions, for example 5 days each.

Permanent: If you receive a permanent exclusion, it means you can’t go to your school anymore, and your name will be taken off the school register. You won’t be allowed back on the school grounds unless you’re invited. This decision is subject to appeal, which means you can ask for it to be reviewed.

Is there guidance on exclusion?

The government has issued guidance on Suspension and Permanent Exclusion from Maintained Schools, Academies and Pupil Referral Units in England.

When can a school exclude you?

You can be excluded for breaching the school’s behaviour policy. A pupil might be excluded for different reasons, such as repeatedly disrupting lessons, physically hurting someone, using abusive language, bullying, damaging property, or stealing.

A school can only permanently exclude you if:

• You have seriously breached the school behaviour policy
  OR
• You have breached the school behaviour policy a number of times

AND

• Allowing you to stay at school would seriously harm your education or welfare OR
• Allowing you to stay at school would seriously harm the education or welfare of other pupils

You can be punished for behaviour which happens outside of school.

It is against the law for a school to exclude you or increase the length of an exclusion for the following reasons:

• Your school grades or ability
• The action of your parents
• Because you have additional needs or a disability that the school feels it is unable to meet

Before giving you an exclusion, your Headteacher should make sure a full investigation has been done. You should get a chance to explain your side of what happened, and the Headteacher should consider any contributing factors – like if you have lost someone close, have mental health issues, or have been bullied.

If the Headteacher decides to exclude you, they must tell your parents or carers. You should get a letter that explains why you are being excluded, how long the exclusion will last, and how to appeal the decision.

Can I appeal an exclusion?

Your parents can appeal the Headteacher’s decision to exclude you, and you can take part in the appeal if you want to. The letter your parents receive should provide more information about this process and the timelines.

Will I still receive education when I have been excluded?

For the first five days of an exclusion (suspension or permanent), the school must try to give you work to do at home.

If your suspension lasts more than five school days, the school must provide full-time education starting from the sixth day.

If you are permanently excluded, from the sixth day the local authority must provide you with full-time education.

How else can a school discipline?

The school should try other ways to deal with bad behaviour before excluding you (although they are allowed to exclude you straight away for something serious without trying other options first). For example, they might give you a detention, put you in isolation, or ask you to complete a written task. Any punishment should be fair and reasonable. The more serious the behaviour, the more serious the punishment should be.

Further guidance can be found in Behaviour in Schools.