Concerns over exclusion rates

EDUCATION: Officials have raised concerns about the high rates of pupils being excluded from secondary schools in parts of Yorkshire.

Ofsted has found that the rate of secondary school exclusions are among the highest in the country within eight local authority areas in Yorkshire, Lincolnshire and the North-East.

EDUCATION OFFICIALS have raised concerns about the high rates of pupils being excluded from secondary schools in parts of Yorkshire.

Independent school inspection body Ofsted has found that the rate of secondary school exclusions are among the highest in the country within eight local authority areas across Yorkshire, Lincolnshire and the North East.

Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham and Sheffield, as well as Redcar and Cleveland, Middlesbrough, and both North and North East Lincolnshire are among the top 10 parts of the country for secondary school exclusion rates.

Barnsley’s secondary schools had the highest fixed period exclusion rate in Yorkshire, the most recently published figures show. In 2015/16, there were 5,235 exclusions, giving a rate of 45.98, compared to 30.72 in Doncaster, 20.19 in Rotherham and 18.75 in Sheffield.

Ofsted said its regional director for Yorkshire, Cathy Kirby, will this week write to head teachers in these eight areas to raise her concerns.

She has also asked her inspectors to examine a school’s use of exclusions when making judgements about its leadership, management and pupils’ behaviour.

Ms Kirby said: “It is difficult to understand why fixed-period exclusion should be so much more necessary in these eight local authorities compared with others.

“Schools should only ever use exclusions as a last resort. If not properly applied, being removed from school can disrupt a child’s education and affect their future life chances.

“So I am asking inspectors to look very carefully at the use of exclusion in areas with high rates compared with national and regional figures. We want to be certain that pupils are being removed for the right reasons.”

Fixed-period exclusions see pupils barred from school for a set period of up to 45 days within an academic year. Exclusion periods do not have to be continuous and pupils can be excluded for more than one fixed period.

In an annual report, Her Majesty’s chief inspector Amanda Spielman backed the right of schools to exclude pupils when they are violent, threaten teachers or their behaviour affects other pupils’ learning, but that it is unacceptable to exclude pupils to boost school performance.

She has also asked Ofsted inspectors to look more closely for signs of “off-rolling” and to explore reports about troublesome children being sent home on inspection days.

There were 5,699 exclusions in Sheffield’s secondary schools during the 2015/16 academic year.

Councillor Jackie Drayton, Sheffield Council’s cabinet member for children, young people and families, said: “We believe that schools do everything they can to ensure all children and young people are in education every day and a decision taken by a school to exclude a child or young person is never taken lightly.

“We believe that one child or one young person that is excluded is one too many and that is why we are working with schools to identify and tackle problems early, preventing exclusions whenever possible.”

Some 3,687 exclusions were made in Rotherham and Coun Gordon Watson, Rotherham Council’s cabinet member for children and young people’s services, said they should only ever be a last option.

“We are taking positive action in response to levels of exclusions and the council has agreed to more investment in services to help tackle what is a very complex issue,” Coun Watson said.

If not properly applied, being removed can disrupt a child’s education. Ofsted regional director for Yorkshire, Cathy Kirby, North East.