After 50 suspensions, Britnie ended up at a school of last resort. Experts say her success should be the norm

Britnie Magnani, 18, studies for a diploma in her room. She is a former student of the Pavilion school in Melbourne’s north, which caters to children disengaged or excluded from mainstream education. Photograph: Christopher Hopkins/The Guardian

By year 8 of high school, Britnie Magnani had racked up more than 50 suspensions.

The emotions from her turbulent home life would sometimes spill out at school and she would verbally lash out. At other times, she says, she was suspended after hanging around with the “wrong crowd”.