The doubling in the rate of children suspended from school in England since before the pandemic provides alarming evidence of worsening problems with behaviour and lack of in-school support. Persistent disruption was the reason most often cited in figures covering last spring, followed by physical assault against another pupil. The steep rise in suspensions of four- and five-year-olds is a particularly alarming trend, with 10,256 primary-age children suspended for assaulting an adult.
Being out of school is associated with a range of adverse experiences and outcomes, the vast majority of those affected being boys. Pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (Send) and those eligible for free school meals are at disproportionate risk, as are black Caribbean boys and those from some other minority ethnic groups. For this reason, a broad consensus supports the view that exclusions, especially permanent ones, should be avoided whenever possible. The rise in the rate of suspensions, from 1.62% in 2016‑17 to 3.13% last year, points to something going badly wrong.
What looks at first glance like a big jump in permanent exclusions is in fact a return to pre-pandemic normality, with the secondary-school rate of 0.07% unchanged from 2016‑17. In this case, rising numbers reflect a larger cohort. There is, however, no cause for complacency. As Ofsted’s review of alternative provision showed, the current system for excluded pupils is patchy and full of holes. This is unacceptable, especially given that 82% of alternative-provision pupils have special educational needs. Support for Send pupils urgently needs to be improved within schools, while any future curriculum changes must be made with a broad range of pupils in mind.
Permanent exclusion usually follows a failure of some sort. But provision for those who are excluded, most of which is in pupil referral units (PRUs), should be seen as an opportunity too. Only 13% of settings fall below a “good” standard, according to Ofsted. But inspectors were sharply critical of the system’s “overall lack of cohesion”. A shortage of placements, lack of coordination with mainstream schools leading to unsettling transitions, an overreliance on the private sector and poor standards in unregistered settings all cause problems. Children with education, health and care plans (EHCPs) are better looked after than those without – a finding that anyone seeking to understand the huge rise in EHCPs (by 72% since 2019) must take on board.
New national standards for Send provision are promised, and would mark a step in the right direction, along with more joined-up work between education, health and care. Huge regional variations also require attention (London has the lowest exclusion rates), as do those between school types, with some academy trusts excluding pupils at many times the average rate. Special needs funding has been increased by £1bn and will top £10bn this year, so there has been investment. But the rising cost of living and worsening poverty and mental health mean that schools face extremely challenging conditions, while cash-strapped councils lack the funds to meet their legal obligations. A less disjointed system, with strengthened local partnerships at its heart, should be the direction of travel. The promotion of inclusion should be balanced with the building and valuing of alternatives to mainstream schooling that are not overwhelmed by need – or viewed merely as stopgaps or last resorts.
