exclusions | Schools Week

Turnaround school leaders must be able to exclude to keep pupils safe

There is much to admire about Edward Timpson’s review of school exclusions, starting with his clear statement that schools must be calm and safe places, with strong behaviour cultures. Every parent wants their child to go to a school that is safe and where learning can take place in an orderly environment. Parents should not […]

Timpson exclusions review: the 7 things you need to know

The Department for Education is set to finally publish the Timpson review into exclusions today. The government has released its executive summary of the report, which includes the 30 recommendations ministers have agreed to implement “in principle”. We’ve been through and picked out the key things you need to know. 1. No proposals yet […]

Not all is lost when children are excluded, for some it’s just the beginning

It’s not ok to keep talking about PRUs as hotbeds of drugs and crime – they are doing a great job providing support and education for vulnerable young people, says Sarah Dove As providers of education, we are all dedicated to giving young people the best foundations for a bright future. With fifteen years’ experience […]

Fact check: What are the links between school exclusions and knife crime?

School exclusions are in the news again this week after a group of police chiefs and London’s mayor demanded action from the government to tackle knife crime. In a letter to Theresa May, Sadiq Khan and seven police and crime commissioners linked a “broken” school exclusion system in England to a rise in knife crime. […]

New yoga trial aims to tackle high exclusion rates

Schools in Norfolk are turning to yoga in a bid to bring down exclusion rates. GP practice the Acle Medical Partnership is working with three schools on a new trial which will see pupils at risk of exclusion taught “the benefits of yoga and mindfulness” to help them cope with life, “both in and outside […]

Timpson review to demand excluded pupils count in schools’ results

A landmark review of exclusions will demand the government revives plans to make schools retain responsibility for the results of pupils they exclude. Leaked documents show that the Timpson review will call for a “significant shift” for schools, alternative provision settings and councils, demanding that ministers “remove the potential” for heads to game the system […]

Exclusions: Ofsted will look more closely at ‘repeat’ patterns of suspension

Ofsted will look more closely at whether schools are “repeatedly” suspending or isolating the same pupils, under its new inspection framework. A school found to be using suspensions or fixed-term exclusions “inappropriately” would only then be able to achieve a “requires improvement” grade at most. But some teachers say schools need to be able to […]

OGAT and isolation rooms: what the data shows

Opponents of isolation rooms claim they disproportionately punish the poorest and most vulnerable pupils. OGAT, one of the trusts under intense media scrutiny over isolation rooms, claims its strict behaviour policies are part of its “turnaround strategy” for the schools it takes over. Schools Week has data that sheds new light on those claims Some […]

‘This is about social mobility’: Academy trust boss defends exclusions record

The boss of an academy trust under the spotlight for high rates of temporary exclusions has insisted strict behaviour expectations “prevent chaos” in its challenging schools. The Outwood Grange Academies Trust (OGAT) has been the focus of several articles this year for some of the highest rates of fixed-term exclusions across the country. As revealed […]