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15 April 2026

Tag: pupil exclusions

Is it legal for councils to fine schools for excluding pupils?

The desire to achieve a reduction in exclusions is plainly to be welcomed, but councils can’t just impose a fining system – schools would have to sign up to it, explains Russell Holland Gloucestershire County Council has recently made headlines for proposing to “fine” schools £5,000 for permanently excluding a child. The reality is that […]

Exclusions: are there too many or too few?

As the debate on school exclusions becomes increasingly polarised, we brought together two people with opposing views to see where there might be common ground. Mark Lehain, director of campaigning group Parents and Teachers for Excellence, chatted with Jules Daulby, director of education for literacy charity Driver Youth Trust. Qu: Are there too many or […]

Is this the real exclusions ‘scandal’ – leaving too many kids in mainstream?

How can the education committee claim the current level of school exclusions is too high, when no one even knows what the correct level should be, argues John Blake Every child in England is entitled to an education. Thus, this week’s report from the parliamentary education committee, on the experiences of students removed from mainstream schools as […]

How can we improve outcomes for excluded pupils?

Fifteen years ago I met a vicar in a bar in Oxford who had spent 20 years working in prisons with violent male offenders. He told me that the youngest ones only had two shots at turning their lives around. “Either they find Jesus, or their girlfriend gets pregnant and they suddenly get the preciousness […]

Permanent exclusion is the punishment of last resort, but it’s sometimes necessary

Even with an inclusive approach and a clear behaviour policy, permanent exclusion is sometimes necessary to protect staff or students, says Jacqueline Valin Pupil exclusions are finally on the political radar, and it’s heartening to see the issue being publicly examined. With permanent and fixed-term exclusion rates on the rise, the question of when, or […]

Are zero tolerance behaviour policies legal?

With the parliamentary education committee considering exclusions at present, barrister Russell Holland explains schools’ legal liabilities The education select committee has been reviewing exclusions and recently heard evidence about the way zero tolerance behavior policies potentially reduce inclusion. Its hearings even raised the question of whether zero tolerance policies are legal, especially given the fact […]