Priority Area 4Tackle exclusion beyond the school gates

The Power of Collaboration

External factors driving exclusions are difficult for schools to address in isolation. Coordinated support from other services such as mental health providers, social services, and community organisations. By partnering with these agencies, schools can ensure that vulnerable students and their families receive the holistic support they need to address underlying challenges. Programmes, like the London Inclusion Charter, and Young Futures, demonstrate the effectiveness of a local collaborative approach. These initiatives ensure that at-risk young people receive consistent, long-term support by embedding it within communities and fostering strong relationships with schools.

The Wider Impact of Exclusions

While crucial to a child's development, schools lack the resources and capacity to address deeply rooted socio-economic issues that can lead to exclusions. Poverty, which impacts everything from food security to access to technology, demands broader economic reforms, welfare support, and housing solutions that schools alone cannot provide. Public health crises, like the rise in mental ill health amongst young people, similarly require the expertise of healthcare systems, mental health professionals, and policymakers. To effectively combat these drivers of exclusion, a holistic, multi-agency approach is essential, where schools collaborate with external organisations to ensure children receive the full spectrum of support needed.

In addition, excluded young people have just a 4% chance of achieving GCSEs needed for employment, with two-thirds out of education or work by age 17. Alarmingly, 9 in 10 teenagers in custody have been excluded. Each exclusion is estimated to cost the state £170,000 in lifetime education, benefits, and healthcare. Working together to reduce exclusions will benefit society as a whole.

Empowering Parents

Public First research highlights that school behaviour policies and exclusion processes are often inaccessible or unclear, leading to low parental engagement. Less than half have read their child's school's code of conduct or behaviour policy. This lack of knowledge and a complex and time-consuming process puts many families at a disadvantage when advocating for their children.

Greater transparency in the exclusion process is crucial for ensuring fairness, accountability, and trust. When parents understand their rights and procedures, they can better advocate for their children, guaranteeing any exclusion is justified and in the student's best interest.