New exclusion guidance published

The Department for Education published updated Suspension and Permanent Exclusion guidance for schools on 13th July following the consultation earlier this year. The guidance is designed to enable all to learn and thrive in calm, safe and supportive environments. The guidance has also been updated to reflect changes in legislation governing the disciplinary school suspension and permanent exclusion processes. The document states that “permanent exclusions will sometimes be necessary as a last resort to maintain this environment”. Ensuring that reasonable adjustments and an assessment on how better to meet needs is detailed under the section on SEN. 

Updates include:

• Headteachers must notify parents and the local authority without delay if a pupil is suspended or permanently excluded and notify the social worker or virtual school head (VSH) as applicable.
• Guidance on how to initiate and use managed moves.
• Clarified guidance on the use of off-site direction as part of the school’s behaviour management strategy. 
• Guidance on the use of pupil voice through the process.
• Guidance for governing bodies to ensure they review all available information around moves and to review the characteristics of pupils who have been permanently excluded to ensure all avenues have been explored and this is a last resort.

nasen continues to discuss the need for schools that accommodate all of the learners in the system and ensure they are environments that are joyful, socially interactive, actively engaging with meaningful learning to ensure that inclusion is at the heart of all decisions made. 

There is a free webinar being held by 3PB Education Law Barristers on 20th July at 5pm online for those interested in understanding the changes and what to expect from 1st September.