Exclusion From Schools
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is an exclusion?
- When is a decision taken to exclude a pupil?
- When is exclusion not appropriate?
- Who can exclude?
- How will you know if your child has been excluded?
- What happens to my child’s education whilst s/he is excluded?
- What is the Pupil Referral Service?
- How do I give my views to the Discipline Committee?
- What will happen at the Discipline Committee meeting?
- When will the Discipline Committee tell me their decision?
- What happens if a permanent exclusion is upheld by the Discipline Committee?
- What can I do if the permanent exclusion is upheld?
- Where can I get help and further advice?
1. What is an exclusion?
A disciplinary measure that the Head Teacher uses to deal with unacceptable behaviour. There are three types of exclusion:
Lunchtime - your child may be excluded from school premises for the lunch time period. This can only be for a set length of time (e.g. one week) If your child qualifies for free school meals, he/she is still entitled to receive a meal if they are excluded at lunch time
Fixed term - your child may be excluded for a specified number of days (maximum 45 days in any one school year). You will be given a date when the pupil will return to school and cannot go back to school until that date.
Permanent – your child may never return to school unless you challenge the exclusion and an Appeal Panel overturns the decision to permanently exclude your child.
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2. When is a decision taken to exclude a pupil?
A decision to exclude a pupil permanently should be taken only:
- in response to serious breaches of the school’s behaviour policy; and
- if allowing the pupil to remain in school would seriously harm the education or welfare of the pupils or others in the school.
A decision to permanently exclude is a serious one and will usually be the final step if the school has tried a range of sanctions and other strategies to improve behaviour that is consistently falling below what is expected.
However there will be exceptional circumstances where it is appropriate to permanently exclude for a first or ‘one off’ offence, which might include
a) serious actual or threatened violence against another pupil or a member of staff;
b) sexual abuse or assault;
c) supplying an illegal drug; or
d) carrying an offensive weapon.
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3. When is exclusion not appropriate?
Exclusion should not be used for:
a) minor incidents such as failure to do homework or to bring dinner money;
b) poor academic performance;
c) lateness or truancy;
d) pregnancy;
e) breaches of school uniform rules or rules on appearance, except where these are persistent and in open defiance of such rules.
f) punishing pupils for the behaviour of their parents, for example where parents refuse, or are unable, to attend a meeting.
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4. Who can exclude?
Only the Head Teacher or designated Acting Head Teacher
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5. How will you know if your child has been excluded?
You will receive a letter from the Head Teacher stating the reason for the exclusion and your right to make representations to the Discipline committee of the Governing Body.
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6. What happens to my child’s education whilst s/he is excluded?
Day 1 to Day 5 -
You have a duty to ensure that your child is not present in a public place in school hours during this period unless there is reasonable justification for this. You may receive a penalty notice from the local authority if your child is present in a public place during school hours on the specified dates. If so, it will be for you to show reasonable justification. The school will arrange for some work to be provided but it is your responsibility to see that this work is completed and returned to school for marking.
Day 6 onwards
From the sixth day of a fixed term exclusions until the expiry of the exclusion the school will make arrangements for suitable full-time education.
From the sixth day of a permanent exclusion, you will receive the offer of an interview at the Pupil Referral Service within five days of the Notice of Exclusion.
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7. What is the Pupil Referral Service?
The Pupil Referral Service (PRS) is a temporary education provision. In many ways it is similar to a school but it is much smaller. Bexley has a joint service with 2 Pupil Referral Units:
The Beeches (Primary) Pupil Referral Unit,
Lensbury Way, Abbey Wood,
London SE2 9TA
 020 8312 2746
 020 8310 1800
The Howbury Centre (Secondary) Pupil Referral Unit,
Slade Green Road,
Erith, Kent DA8 2HX
01322 356482 Fax:
01322 356485
The service is subject to Ofsted and Local Authority inspections. Provision for excluded pupils is full time. In addition to the core curriculum, the PRS offer a range of additional activities. If your child is in an examination year (Year 2, 6, 9 or 11) they will be able to take their exams at the PRU. The PRS aim to provide a positive learning experience for your child by working closely with parents and carers to ensure that a child's needs are identified and appropriate progression is made.
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8. How do I give my views to the Discipline Committee?
If you feel that the exclusion is unfair, you should let the Clerk to the Discipline Committee know within 7 days. The Clerk's details will be in the Head teacher's letter. The Discipline Committee is made up of three or five school Governors who have had no previous involvement in your child’s exclusion.
For exclusions, which total more than 15 school days in a term, the Clerk will automatically set up a meeting of the Discipline Committee to which you will be invited.
Although the Discipline Committee is not obliged to meet to consider exclusions of between 1 and 15 days in a term, you can request a meeting and the Clerk will attempt to arrange this. This will also apply to any exclusion where a public examination will be missed.
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9. What will happen at the Discipline Committee meeting?
The Governors may, for:
Exclusions of Less than 5 Days (in one term)
- consider any statement from the parent, and place a note on the pupil's record. The Committee cannot direct reinstatement but may do so only if the exclusion causes the pupil to miss sitting a public examination.
Exclusions of More than 5 days
- uphold the Head teacher's decision to exclude the pupil;
- overturn the exclusion. If the pupil is back in school before the meeting takes place, the decision will be noted on the pupil's file;
- direct the Head teacher to reinstate the pupil at the school where the pupil has not already returned OR where the pupil loses the opportunity to take a public examination.
Permanent Exclusions
- uphold the Head teacher's decision to exclude the pupil;
- direct the Head teacher to reinstate the pupil at the school.
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10. When will the Discipline Committee tell me their decision?
A letter informing you of the Discipline Committee's decision will be sent within 1 school day of the meeting.
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11. What happens if a permanent exclusion is upheld by the Discipline Committee?
The Committee's letter will explain your right to appeal to an Independent Appeal Panel and the date by which this must be done. You must set out in writing the grounds on which your appeal is made. An appeal panel must meet to consider an exclusion appeal no later than the 15th school day after the day on which the appeal was lodged.
An appeal panel may:
- uphold the decision to exclude; or
- direct immediate reinstatement or reinstatement at some future date; or
- in exceptional cases consider that the permanent exclusion should not have taken place but reinstatement in the excluding school is not in the best interest of all concerned. The panel must indicate all circumstances in a letter. This letter should be added to the pupil school record.
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12. What can I do if the permanent exclusion is upheld?
You have a right at any time to try to find a place for your child at another school. The admissions service will help you find a new school for your child.
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13. Where can I get help and further advice?
- The Exclusions Officer – 020 8836 8256
- The Education Welfare Service – 020 8836 8424
- The Clerkship Practice – 020 8836 8422
- Advisory Centre for Education (ACE) – 020 7704 9822
 www.ace-ed.org.uk
- The Admission Service – 020 8836 8429
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