Children with SEND are much more likely to be excluded from school than their classmates.
Good discipline in schools is essential to ensure that all pupils can benefit from the opportunities provided by education. The Government supports headteachers in using exclusion as a sanction where it is warranted.
Types of exclusion
There are 2 types of official exclusions:
Fixed term exclusion
A child is excluded from school for a set amount of time, such as 1 week.
Permanent exclusion
A child is taken off roll from their school and they may go to school at a Pupil Referral Unit (PRU).
However, permanent exclusion should only be used as a last resort:
- In response to a serious breach, or persistent breaches, of the school’s behaviour policy
and
- Where allowing the pupil to remain in school would seriously harm the education or welfare of the pupil or others in the school
What you can do
You could ask the school whether further assessments might be needed to identify your child’s needs, and what other options there might be to support them.
You should be able to find a copy of the school’s SEN and behaviour policies on their website. There will also be a SEN information report available to view. If you can’t find these on the school website, request copies.
If you have any questions or concerns about an exclusion decision for your child, speak to the headteacher as soon as you are told about the exclusion. You can also contact the governing body if you have any concerns.
If you believe your child has been discriminated against under the Equality Act 2010 you can make a claim to the First Tier Tribunal for Disability Discrimination If you take this route you must do so within six months of an incident (exclusion).
Pupil Referral Unit (PRU)
Bromley Trust Academy is the Alternative Provision provider that supports KS1, 2, 3 and 4 pupils living in Bromley who have been permanently excluded from mainstream schools.
There is a primary and secondary provision that Bromley children and young people are able to access.
Each provision setting:
- Provides an educational setting for primary or secondary aged pupils living in Bromley who have been permanently excluded from school
- Offers preventative places away from a mainstream school on a fixed term basis
- A focus on reintegration to mainstream in Key Stages 1 to 3
- A focus on gaining qualifications to empower young people to access Post-16 education, employment or training in Key Stage 4
For more information visit the Bromley Trust Academy website.