DfE expels ‘expulsions’

The Department for Education has conceded that the language change from ‘exclusion’ to ‘expulsion’, although not tied to a change in policy, may not have been wholly suitable and will revert to ‘permanent exclusion’.

The guidance was brought about following the Timpson review of 2019, though the review did not indicate this change was needed, nor make any recommendation for such a change. The reversal has come about through pressure from key stakeholder groups including the Special Educational Consortium (SEC) steering group, of which nasen attends representing the views of members. 

A letter from Children’s Minister Vicky Ford in response to the request for the removal of the term ‘expulsion’ emphasises: 
“I have made it a priority to protect and support children and young people with SEND throughout the pandemic and to put them at the heart of our wider recovery work”. 

This emphasis on SEND as well as acting on the views of key stakeholders in reverting back to exclusion, is welcome. When the SEND review is published we may see this focus of SEND as part of the recovery embedded further.