Exclusion of pupils from school
Exclusion is when a pupil is not allowed to attend school for a suspension period. Exclusion can also be permanent when a headteacher decides that the pupil has seriously broken school rules.
Exclusion from School
Extract from Department for Education Website
What happens when your child is excluded?
Your child’s school will let you know about an exclusion as soon as possible. They’ll follow up with a letter telling you how long your child is excluded for and why. You should also be told how to challenge the exclusion, if you want to.
Risk of prosecution if child is found in public place
For the first five school days of an exclusion, it’s your responsibility to make sure your child isn’t in a public place during normal school hours unless there is a good reason. You might be prosecuted if your child is found in a public place when they’re not supposed to be.
Types of exclusion
There are two kinds of exclusion:
Suspension exclusion
A suspension exclusion is where your child is temporarily removed from school. They can only be removed for up to 45 school days in one school year, even if they’ve changed school.
If a child has been excluded for a suspension period, schools should set and mark work for the first 5 school days.
If the exclusion is longer than five school days, the school must arrange suitable full-time education from the sixth school day, eg at a pupil referral unit.
Permanent exclusion
When a child is permanently excluded the child cannot go back to that school unless the school’s governors change this decision. The local authority will arrange full-time education from the sixth school day.
Challenging suspension exclusion
You’ll get a letter from the school telling you what to do if you disagree with the exclusion. You can ask the school’s governing body to overturn the exclusion if either:
- your child has been excluded for more than 5 days
- the exclusion means they’ll miss a public exam or national curriculum test
If the exclusion is for 5 days or fewer, you can still ask the governors to hear your views but they can’t overturn the headteacher’s decision.
Challenging permanent exclusion
You will be invited to a review meeting with the school’s governors if your child has been permanently excluded. This will happen within 15 school days.
If the governors don’t overturn the exclusion, you can ask for an independent review by the local authority (or academy trust if the school’s an academy). The governors must tell you how to do this.
Independent Review Panel application form
If your child is still excluded, you can ask the Local Government Ombudsman (or the Education Funding Agency if the school’s an academy or free school) to look at whether your case was handled properly. They can’t overturn the exclusion.
Further information about exclusion from school is given in the leaflet Exclusion from School.
Contact details
- Huong Le
Tel: 020 7364 4301
- Serena John Baptiste
Tel: 020 7364 6150
- Sultana Begum
Tel: 020 7364 4308
Related services
Family services