The exclusion explosion

The Chief Executive of Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills (Ofsted), Amanda Spielman, has for some time raised her concerns over the continually rising number of exclusions, in both primary and secondary schools. She has stated that there are schools that are “gaming the system” and have “lost sight of what they are there for”.

I am not suggesting that there are not very good reasons for exclusions, both with regard to the safety of the individual pupil and others in the school community.  But let’s not lose sight of the fact that exclusion is primarily a punitive measure. The rise in the number of children with special educational needs and disability (SEND) who are being excluded is alarming. They are seven times more likely to be permanently excluded.

Originally, I had planned to write a blog for Huddersfield Centre for Research in Education and Society with regard to the high percentage of permanent exclusions of children and young people.  But over recent months there has been substantial activity, reported in the press and educational publications.

Until relatively recently, Ofsted had to be informed by schools where permanent exclusions had taken place and this triggered an inspection. A feature in The Times on 26 June reported the findings of Ofsted, which had noted that 19,000 pupils were removed from their school roll just prior to taking their GCSEs. Indeed, Amanda Spielman thinks that this is leading to children, many with special educational needs and disability, to drop out of any education, as the alternative is to be sent to a pupil referral unit (many are oversubscribed), home schooling or becoming part of a gang culture. Most mainstream schools are reluctant to reintegrate children who have been permanently excluded.

In a Times article published in on 19 July, it was stated that “schoolchildren as young as four are to be given lessons in mental health, including how to recognise and act on anxiety, depression or distress”. Further studies may show a correlation between the rise in mental health problems in children and the increase in exclusions. It is also worthy of note that 50 per cent  of mental health problems are established by the age of 14 (Mental Health Foundation, July 2018).  While the impact of five-day maximum or permanent exclusions are not specifically mentioned here -  as long-term educational difficulties are identified as a risk factor -  there must be some connection when permanent exclusions affect more than 40 pupils a day.

Perhaps it would be a good start if children felt secure in school. A culture that threatens permanent exclusion may not provide this security.  A recent study by the University of Exeter concludes that children who are excluded from schools, even temporarily, may experience psychological distress and long-term mental health problems. The study identifies exclusion as potentially a “counterproductive disciplinary measure as it encourages the very behaviour it intends to punish”. Children who struggle at school, for whatever reason, may find exclusion to be a relief as they are removed from a situation that is causing them anxiety and so their negative behaviour is being inadvertently rewarded.

On the 25 July 2018 the House of Commons Education Committee published its report, Forgotten children: alternative provision and the scandal of ever increasing exclusions. This report will form part of the Timpson Exclusions Review. In the report’s executive summary there are six recommendations, all of which make reference to the rights of parents and children.

For example, every school should be inclusive.  It is often taken for granted that education institutions are compliant and indeed proud of their support for inclusivity and diversity, but statistics for the number of permanent exclusions are increasing every year, with pupils identified as SEND being seven times more likely to be excluded (Commons Education Select committee, 2018). Not all exclusions are linked to violent behaviour towards staff or other children.  The report stated that many have unidentified or unmet needs by the time they access alternative provision (AP).

The Report proposes a Bill of Rights. Parents and pupils have little support in such matters formally to advise and therefore, unless they can research to the minutiae in both legislation and exclusion criteria, it is very hard to have a voice. In any case, many are not confident to take on the school and governors and bring them to account where the authorities have not followed due process or the family are confident that there is not a case to answer.

The report is adamant that parents and pupils should “have someone in their corner”. Interestingly, it suggests that “even the best teachers may be lacking in suitable training and development, which impacts on the support that children receive”.  (There are 33 recommendations. Perhaps, the most significant ones are:

• That “zero-tolerance” behaviour policies are creating school environments where pupils are punished and ultimately excluded for incidents that could and should be managed within mainstream,
• The Government’s strong focus on school standards has led to school environments and practices that have resulted in disadvantaged children being disproportionally excluded,
• The exclusion process is weighted in favour of schools,
• Where a pupil is excluded from a school, he/she and their parents or carers should have access to an independent advocate,
• Schools should publish their permanent and fixed term exclusion rates,
• Finally (particularly significant for the School of Education and Professional Development here at the University, and ITE providers generally), “all trainee teachers, in order to achieve Qualified Teachers Status (QTS) should be required to undertake a placement outside mainstream education, for example in a special school or in alternative provision”.

While this is all too late for those pupils who have already been excluded for behavioural reasons relating to SEND, it will, subject to Parliament’s support, help the future generations who hopefully will not be the “forgotten children”. Parents and family members will not have to rely on advice from friends and colleagues who work in the education sector to help ‘fight the cause’ with the emphasis on ‘fight’.

In the meantime, if your children or grandchildren are of an age for moving schools, I strongly recommended that you should request, using Freedom of Information, how many fixed-term and permanent exclusions have taken place in the school, whatever its previous standing has been. One exclusion is probably one too many.