When your child is suspended or permanently excluded from school it can be a very upsetting and worrying time for you, your child and your family.
In most cases, other action should have been tried before suspending or excluding a pupil. However it might be necessary for the Headteacher to take immediate action if the pupil:
- has breached the school’s behaviour policy (the school rules)
- remaining in school would have serious harm to their education or welfare
- remaining in school would have serious harm to the education or welfare of others
Any suspension or permanent exclusion should be issued on the principles of being:
- rational
- reasonable
- fair
- proportionate
Suspensions and permanent exclusions must be recorded officially. This is to help identify where support is needed and allow everybody the opportunity to exercise their rights.
Information about alternatives to suspensions or permanent exclusions.
There can be alternatives to suspensions or permanent exclusions. This can be within the school or through Fair Access including managed moves or alternative provisions.
Managed moves
A managed move is when a child formally transfers from one school to another. It can only happen if both the schools, the child and their parent/carer agree to the move. It is used to help individual children to remain in school and successfully complete their education.
Reasons for a managed move
A managed move can be set up for a variety of reasons:
- as an alternative, where the young person is likely to be permanently excluded
- where the school’s own behaviour management strategies have been implemented to address a series of behavioural concerns and a support meeting has concluded that a fresh start in a new school would be the most positive intervention strategy to maintain the student in education
- where there are well documented instances of other interventions and support strategies which have already been tried and are proving unsuccessful
- where the relationship between the student and either a particular group of fellow students and/or staff has broken down to an irrevocable degree.
Setting up a managed move
The managed move is co-ordinated by
- the headteachers or representatives from both schools
- the student,
- the parent / carer and
- representatives from other agencies working with the family as appropriate.
Wherever possible the meeting should be held during the normal school working day.
Parent/carers are a crucial part of the success so school staff will try to arrange a time when they can attend the meetings.
Should the child attend the meeting
You will be able to agree with school staff whether your child should be present for the whole meeting or join in towards the end. Generally, students at secondary schools attend the whole meeting.
The first meeting
At the initial meeting everyone will consider the positive points and main concerns. Everyone present will have the opportunity to have their say and will be expected to offer some positive contribution to the Managed Move.
Everyone will sign the Managed Move agreement which outlines what is expected, what is to be done and by whom and when.
Progress reviews
A member of school staff will usually meet your child regularly to review his/her progress. This will give your child the chance to talk about what has gone well and how to continue to be successful.
Off-Site Direction
An Off-site direction is an intervention designed to support children and prevent exclusion. It is used to help individual children to remain in school and successfully complete their education.
Reasons for off-site direction
They can be set up for a variety of reasons:
- as an alternative, where the young person is likely to be permanently excluded
- where there are well documented instances of other interventions and support strategies which have already been tried and are proving unsuccessful.
Setting up an Off-site direction
The Off-site direction is co-ordinated by the Governors and Headteacher or representative from the child’s current school. Whilst an Off-site direction can be planned without parental consent, it remains best practice that parents should be actively involved in these decisions if the outcome for the child is to be positive.
Should the child attend the meeting
You will be able to agree with school staff whether your child should be present for the whole meeting or join in towards the end. Generally, students at secondary schools attend the whole meeting.
The first meeting
At the initial meeting everyone will consider the positive points and main concerns. Everyone present will have the opportunity to have their say and will be expected to offer some positive contribution to the Off-site direction plan.
Everyone will sign the Off-site direction agreement which outlines what is expected, what is to be done, and by whom and when.
Progress reviews
The length of the intervention is decided at the first meeting and should be clear on the plan. Reviews should happen every 30 days. All key people who attended the original meeting will be invited to the review meetings to talk about what has gone well and how to continue to be successful.
Review meetings can discuss:
- meeting the targets set, progress and attendance
- any concerns about the placement
- the support in place and any new strategies to help your child.
Should an Off-site direction intervention be at risk of breakdown the alternative provider or placement school should arrange a review meeting as soon as possible.
At no time should the alternative provider or placement school ask the student to leave the school or inform parents that their child has to return to the home school without holding a review meeting to discuss the reasons for the placement breakdown
Fair Access Protocol
The Fair Access Protocol (FAP) is a local agreement for placing children who are:
- vulnerable, or
- challenging
into the most appropriate education provision as quickly as possible. The protocol must also cover provision for children who are not yet ready to go back into mainstream schooling.
Children who are:
- permanently excluded, and
- are ready to reintegrate back into a mainstream school
will have their case considered through the FAP. Children considered through the FAP are given higher priority for school places. They may be offered a place at a school that is over subscribed.Find out more about the Fair Access Protocol
Education provision following a permanent exclusion
If a child is permanently excluded, the Local Authority will arrange education from the sixth day of the exclusion. This will be with an alternative provision provider. The staff at that provision will help find a place in another school for your child, or discuss an individual programme of study.