Exclusions
Guidelines for Parents and Carers
Exclusion is one sanction which a head teacher may use in response to serious breaches of school discipline.There are two types of exclusion:
A head teacher can also exclude a pupil for lunch-time sessions. If your child is entitled to free school meals, the school should make arrangements to provide a meal or packed lunch. However, this would not apply if your child is excluded for either a fixed term, or permanently.Fixed Term Exclusion
The maximum number of days that a pupil can be excluded, for a fixed term, is 45 days in any one academic year.The head teacher should inform you in writing of the exclusion and the reason for it. The head teacher must arrange a reintegration interview with you during, or following the expiry of, any fixed term exclusion of a primary aged pupil or for more than five school days for a secondary aged pupil.
For exclusions up to 5 consecutive days, work should be set and marked by the school. During this period you must ensure that your child is not found in a public place during normal school hours without reasonable justification. You may be subject to a fixed penalty notice fine if you fail to do this.
Where a pupil is given a fixed term exclusion for 6 days or longer, the school has a duty to arrange suitable full time educational provision from and including the 6th school day of the exclusion.
From the 6th day of a permanent exclusion the Local Authority is reasponsible for ensuring full time education is provided. This will be the pupil's home Local Authority in cases where the pupil lives in a different Local Authority from the school.
The exclusion stops on the day stated in the letter. The number of days stated refers to actual school days and does not, therefore, include weekends or holidays.
The head teacher could decide to extend the exclusion but must inform you of the decision, the reason for it and your right to further representation.
What rights do you have?
You have the right to make written and oral representation to the Governing Body of the school. A meeting of the school's discipline committee may be arranged to discuss the exclusion and you would be invited to attend.If you wish, you may take a friend or some other person of your choice to the governing body meeting.
In some cases your child may already be back in school when you meet the governors, but nevertheless it will give you the opportunity to discuss the matter further.
You have the right to see your child's curricular records on application to the head teacher and your child's other educational records on request to the governing body.
Who do you contact if you require further information about exclusion procedures?
See our list of exclusions contacts.Permanent Exclusion
Permanent exclusion from school is a sanction which the head teacher may use, in response to serious breaches of a school’s discipline policy and if allowing the pupil to remain in the school would seriously harm the education or welfare of the pupil or of others in the school. In most cases a range of alternative strategies should have been tried.The head teacher should notify you immediately about the exclusion. The letter should explain:
- The reason for the exclusion and the steps taken to try to avoid exclusion.
- The arrangements for enabling your child to continue their education, including providing suitable full time education from the 6th day of the exclusion.
- Your right to state your case to the governing body’s discipline committee.
- Who to contact if you wish to state your case (usually the clerk to the committee).
- The latest date you can put a written statement to the discipline committee.
- Your right to see your child’s school record.
- The date the permanent exclusion takes effect, and details of any relevant previous warnings, fixed period exclusions or other disciplinary measures taken before the present incident.
- The name and telephone number of a contact in Education at the County Council (David Wall 0191 3833284) who can provide advice on the exclusions process and the telephone number for the Advisory Centre for Education (ACE).
The school's governing body should arrange a meeting to which you will be invited within 6 to 15 school days of the notification of exclusion.
What rights do you have?
You and your child have the right to make written and oral representation to the discipline committee of the school's governing body. If you wish to do this, you should contact the Area Co-ordinator prior to the meeting. The addresses of the Area Co-ordinators are included on the contacts page (see link below). You can contact the Pupil Casework Officer for advice about the exclusion (see link below).If you wish, you may take a friend or some other person of your choice to the discipline committee meeting. You have the right to see your child's school curricular and other educational records on application to the head teacher.
What happens at the Discipline Committee meeting?
The discipline committee will consider the exclusion and you will have the right to attend the meeting and make representations about the exclusion. You could also forward written representations to the clerk, prior to the meeting.We may give our view on the appropriateness of the exclusion.
If the discipline committee decide that the exclusion was not warranted, they will reinstate your child. If however the exclusion is upheld then your child will not be able to return to the school. In either case you will be informed by letter within one school day of the meeting.
What happens if the Discipline Committee upholds the exclusion?
If the permanent exclusion is upheld you have the right to make an appeal to an independent appeals panel. You should notify us of your intention to appeal against the decision within 15 school days of receiving notification.The decision of the appeal panel is final and binding on all parties. You will have the opportunity to meet with our officers who will discuss a range of options for your child's education.
For some secondary age pupils, we may decide that a period of education at the Pupil Referral Unit may be beneficial prior to reinstatement to another school.
