Exclusions
The DfE advises that it is important to design and apply your school's behaviour policies with the past experiences of looked-after and previously looked-after children in mind, since past trauma can significantly impact on their behaviour in school (DfE February 2018). Head teachers, designated teachers and governing bodies must have regard to the Department's statutory guidance on Exclusions from maintained schools, academies and pupil referral units in England (DfE September 2017) and in line with that guidance, exclusion should be seen as a last resort for any previously looked-after child.
If a child or young person is at risk from exclusion, the school can seek advice from the Virtual School and early involvement is recommended so that additional assessment and support and/or one-to-one therapeutic work can be put in place to address the child's behaviour and prevent the need for exclusion.
Two types of exclusion are lawful: permanent and fixed-term and only the head teacher of a school (or acting head teacher) can exclude a pupil. This means that legally a child should be in school full-time or they are excluded from school.
A child may not be excluded for a reason relating to their special educational needs or disabilities (SEND).
The AfC Local Offer website offers extensive information and advice about school exclusions for Kingston & Richmond:
and in RBWM the Behaviour Support Service works in partnership with the Educational Psychology Service (EPS) to support children of compulsory school age attending mainstream schools who are at risk of exclusion or struggling to attend school regularly.
The Primary Support Service, working across Richmond and Kingston offers advice and guidance to schools about children with challenging behaviour and social and emotional difficulties which impact on behaviour for learning, including those who are at risk of exclusion. They aim to create capacity within schools through staff training. Referrals to the Service are made by schools and are discussed and allocated via a Referral and Allocations Panel meeting each week.
Email: EISS@achievingforchildren.org.uk
Details of alternative provision arranged by RBWM for pupils who because of exclusion, illness or for other reasons would not otherwise receive a suitable education are also on the AfC local offer website for RBWM
For Kingston & Richmond see below:
The Timpson review
The Timpson review of school exclusion was published on 7th May 2019 and you can download this as a pdf at the bottom of the page. The review recommended that schools should be responsible for the education of pupils even when they have been permanently excluded and being accountable for their educational outcome. It was also recommended that funding arrangements should be reviewed to ensure that they do not discourage a school from admitting a child who has been permanently excluded or admitting a child. Ofsted should also recognise schools that succeed in supporting children to remain in the mainstream. Signposting for parents around exclusion should also be improved, according to Timpson.
The Rees Centre, Oxford
Read more about how training teachers in trauma could help prevent exclusions in this blog post by Dr Neil Harris of The Rees Centre, Oxford: