Exclusion from school

An image of a polar bear in a desolate snow covered area. The polar bear looks like it is waving it's right paw.

Exclusion is when you are sent home from school and are not allowed to go back for a set amount of time. You can be excluded permanently (for good) but this is quite rare.

If your school thinks that you should be excluded, then there are certain things that they must do:

On the day they are excluding you, your school should tell you and your parents/carers why they are excluding you and check it’s safe for you to go home.
Your school should also send a letter to your parents/carers to explain the reasons why they are excluding you. If you are over 16 they should write to you.
Your school should arrange a meeting with you and your parents/carers to talk about the exclusion. Sometimes the school will talk about changes they want to see from you when you come back.
If you feel like the reason you’ve been excluded is because you are finding school difficult, this would be a good time to tell them how you feel and what they can do to help support you.

everyone
has the right
to support

Important things to know

During your exclusion, you still have the right to an education. Even if the school excludes you just for a few days, they should send you work so you don’t miss out on your learning.

You have the right to appeal your exclusion

You can appeal your exclusion if you disagree with the reason. Your school will tell you how to do this. You or your parents/carers can appeal your exclusion.

Usually, making an appeal involves sending a letter to a panel called the Education Appeal Committee. This committee will be a group of people from the local area like parents, teachers and councillors.

Can my school still exclude me if I have additional support needs?

Yes. It is the same as for any other pupil. However, any additional support you need during your exclusion should be provided.

If you have a disability, your school must make sure they are not excluding you because you are disabled. They also shouldn’t exclude you due to something that happened because of your disability. This would be discrimination.

If you think you’ve been sent home because you have additional support needs, you or your parents/carers should ask for a meeting with your school. This should be an opportunity to talk about why you’ve been sent home and what can be done to help you.

It is important to know your rights if you have been excluded or sent home from school. Watch the video below to find out more about what you should expect to happen:

‘Excluded’ is a documentary that features the voices, opinions and solutions from young people to address school exclusion.

You can also watch a Gogglebox style video of young people reacting to the documentary here.

Need help to have your say at school?

If you are aged between 12 and15, My Rights, My Say can help you make sure your voice is heard. They can also offer more advice about exclusion and your rights at school.

Visit the My Rights, My Say website