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“without your knowledge, help and support through this traumatic time we, along with many other parents would have been at a total loss”

Exclusion

In most cases exclusion will be the last resort after a range of measures have been tried to improve the pupil’s behaviour. In schools and LEAs a range of strategies should be in place to address the bad behaviour which may lead to exclusion. Head teachers should be able to refer pupils identified at risk of exclusion, to alternative or additional provision to meet their individual needs, which could include working in partnership with other agencies. The school continues, however, to be responsible for these pupils as they are still on the school roll.

Other than in the most exceptional circumstances, schools should avoid permanently excluding pupils with statements. They should also make every effort to avoid excluding pupils who are being supported at School Action or School Action Plus under the Special Educational Needs Code of Practice, including those at School Action Plus who are being assessed for a statement.

I have now received through the Freedom of information act, data on Kent school exclusions for the year 2008-9, which contain some worrying details. In 2007-8 Kent had the second highest proportion of permanently excluded (expelled) children in the South of England outside London. Whilst this this has now fallen for 2008-9 (comparative national figures are not available) there were still 253 children permanently excluded from mainstream schools and Academies in the County.Worryingly, 20% of these were children with Statements of Special Education Need, and a further 24% on SEN School Action Plus. This is in spite of the Government imperative that states: “Other than in the most exceptional circumstances, schools should avoid permanently excluding pupils with statements”.  Indeed the figure for statmented children rises to 54% (20 out of 34) for primary schools. These shocking figures for the exclusion of statemented children are likely to rise with the phasing out of Special Units (see below).

One school, the New Line Learning Academy had 25 permanent exclusions in the past school year, and another four since September, more than twice as many as any other school in the county.

DCSF statistics for 2006/7 show that children with SEN are far more likely to be permanently excluded than pupils with no SEN. 36 in every 10,000 pupils with statements, 42 in every 10,000 with SEN but no statement are permanently excluded compared with 4 in every 10,000 with no SEN. 

In 2006/7 there were 1050 appeals against permanent exclusion. 25% were determined in favour of parents, although reinstatement was only directed in some 40% of successful appeals. 

I will only get involved in a limited number of exclusions, where I consider that there are extenuating circumstances, or that the school has acted inappropriately. In such cases, I am prepared to advise parents on the best way to proceed, and/or to represent them at appeal panels.