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Exclusions

What happens when your child is excluded from school and who you can contact about exclusions. 

What happens when my child is excluded from school?

Fixed Period Exclusions

A child who gets into serious trouble at school can be excluded for a fixed period of time. 

Schools can exclude a child if:

  • they have seriously broken school rules
  • allowing them to stay in school would seriously harm their education or welfare, or the education or welfare of other pupils.
Some other points to bear in mind are that:
  • only the headteacher or acting headteacher can exclude a child
  • your child can't be given fixed period (non-permanent) exclusions which total more than 45 school days in any one school year
  • if your child is excluded for longer than one school day, the school should set work for them and mark it.

The school should call you on the day an exclusion is given and follow up with a letter including information on:

  • the period and reason for the exclusion
  • your duty during the first five days of any exclusion to ensure that your child is not present in a public place during normal school hours, whether in the company of a parent or not
  • and any arrangements made by the school that apply from the sixth day of the exclusion.

Information on fixed period exclusions can be found on the following website:

The Advisory Centre for Education (ACE) Ltd (external website)

Permanent exclusions

A school will usually only permanently exclude a child as a last resort, after trying to improve the child's behaviour through other means. However, there are exceptional circumstances in which a headteacher may decide to permanently exclude a pupil for a 'one-off' offence.

If your child has been permanently excluded, be aware that:

  • the school's governing body is required to review the headteacher's decision and you may meet with them to explain your views on the exclusion

  • if the governing body confirms the exclusion, you can appeal to an independent appeal panel organised by the local authority

  • the school must explain in a letter how to lodge an appeal
  • the local authority must provide full-time education from the sixth day of permanent exclusion.

Information on permanent exclusion can be found at the following website:
Information for parents whose children have been excluded from schools in England (external website)

As a parent, who can I contact about exclusions?

As from 1 October, 2011 parents need to contact The Children's Legal Centre who aims to provide free legal advice and information to parents on education matters.

They can be contacted on 0808 8020 008 or via their website:

The Children's Legal Centre (external website)

The advice line is open from 9.00 am to 6.30 pm Monday to Friday. 

Local Authority Contacts

Please contact the local authority for advice on exclusions and the guidance:

Sue Pearce, exclusion and re-integration officer
Tel: (01482) 392146

Amanda Ward, parent partnership coordinator
Tel: (01482) 392109 (advice and support for parents and carers of pupils with Special Educational Needs)