Resetting Our Approach to School Suspensions and Exclusions

If the latest statistics from the Department for Education are anything to go by, schools in England are in the midst of an unrelenting wave of suspensions and exclusions.

The figures are staggering: in the 2022/23 academic year, there were 786,961 suspensions, up from 578,280 the previous year. This amounts to a suspension rate of 9.33%. During the same period, there were 9,376 permanent exclusions, compared to 6,495 in 2021/22.

While the underlying factors are undeniably varied and complex, the most commonly cited reason for these exclusionary measures was ‘persistent disruptive behaviour’. At a superficial level, this may seem straightforward: if a student repeatedly engages in behaviour that disrupts the learning environment, they are removed, either temporarily or permanently.

However, when we scratch the surface, we uncover a much more complex picture that merits far greater scrutiny and attention. Rather than viewing this significant rise in suspensions and exclusions as an unavoidable outcome, we can instead seek to understand the root causes of behaviour and reflect on whether the response by some schools is effective, both in the short- and long-term.

Schools on the frontline of support across multiple areas

There is no doubt that the role of schools, first and foremost, is to educate. Every day, leaders, teachers and support staff are doing their level best to deliver high-quality education and support to the children and young people in their care, often against a very challenging backdrop.

The legacy of Covid, a deepening, sector-wide recruitment and retention crisis, and ongoing cost-of-living pressures are just some of the factors that are making it taxing for schools to support the diverse needs of their whole community. Every day, they are on the frontline of providing mental health and emotional wellbeing support to students, staff and families, as well as striving to ensure that every child and young person fulfils their academic potential, no matter what their starting point.

An academic results-focused environment, coupled with the very-real pressures of external moderation and inspection, means that, in some schools, responses to ‘persistent disruptive behaviour’ can include removing students, sometimes on multiple occasions over the course of a day, week, term or year.

Questioning the effectiveness of suspensions and exclusions

It goes without saying that we need to create schools and classrooms where all children and young people can learn in a safe, calm environment, and where teachers are able to teach.

So many schools already do a wonderful job of fostering just the right conditions where every student feels seen, heard and valued for who they are, and receives the support they need in order to flourish. Sometimes, that can involve students leaving the classroom and accessing quiet spaces where they can re-regulate.

However, where we see behaviour that needs support, where students are struggling to meet our expectations and may be in crisis, we need to question whether repeated suspensions and exclusions, along with other measures such as isolation / removal rooms and strict behaviour systems are the answer. While they may appear to ‘fix’ the issue in the short term, the bigger question for all of us is whether they effect longer-term change. Because if they were effective, would we not instead see a marked reduction in suspensions and exclusions across our schools?

And we also need to reflect on whether exclusionary measures are disproportionately weighted against students with SEND or those from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds.

Children and young people on the fringes of the education system

With thousands on the fringes of the education system, day in, day out, and the rate of suspensions and exclusions showing no signs of abating, maybe it’s time for a different approach; one that seeks to identify and address the root causes of behaviour in a compassionate, curious way; one that is proactive, rather than reactive, and that unequivocally endeavours to protect and support our most vulnerable students.

A golden opportunity to rethink our approaches

The arrival of a new government in the UK presents us with an opportunity to review, reset and reframe our thinking around behaviour in schools. For many years, government ministers have grappled with the issue, looking to address behaviour ‘management’ in a number of different ways. Now we have an opportunity to revisit our thinking and work collaboratively to find a way forward.

If we don’t tackle this issue head-on, the current rate of suspensions and exclusions will continue to rise, and we risk alienating thousands of students and families from the education system. Ongoing fragmented educational provision and subsequent disenfranchisement can only have a detrimental impact on the life chances of swathes of children and young people.

From compliance and correction to compassion and curiosity

Here at Team Teach, we recognise the challenges that schools face, and we applaud the gargantuan efforts being made by leaders, teachers and support staff to address behaviour in schools and reduce the number of suspensions and exclusions.

But they cannot do it alone; if we are going to create positive, supportive environments for all, environments that acknowledge individual students’ contexts and can meet their unique needs, we need to seek out and listen to the views of everyone, including families and young people, and find ways forward together.

We need to move away from a mindset of behaviour ‘management’ towards one of behaviour ‘support’ and shift our perspective from one of just compliance and correction to one of compassion and curiosity.

This is not about ignoring or condoning behaviour that does not align with our school’s values or identity, nor does it mean adopting a permissive approach, free of parameters or consequences. Every member of our school community must have the right to work and learn in a safe, happy and positive environment. But it is about a sustained, systematic approach to understanding the underlying drivers of behaviour, tackling issues at source, and collaborating to stem the flow of suspensions and exclusions in our schools.