Exclusions and suspensions
A number of children in care experience or have experienced instability or loss, and all have experienced separation.
This instability and the results of attachment and trauma can affect young people's behaviour and their ability to regulate their emotions.
It can take a long time for them to trust the adult relationships around them.
It’s crucial for children and young people in care to have stability during their recovery from difficult experiences.
To protect them from risks like rejection or marginalization, we encourage keeping them in school whenever possible - even if they make mistakes or their behaviour leads to exclusion - as long as it aligns with the school’s behaviour policy. This approach serves as an important safeguarding measure.
It’s widely recognized in Birmingham that children in care should not face permanent exclusion from schools or educational settings. Instead, schools should actively seek advice and support to find alternative approaches and solutions
If your child has been excluded
If a child has been excluded or there is a risk of it, you must email Birmingham Virtual School immediately: BirminghamVirtualSchool@birmingham.gov.uk
Our first step will be to review the Personal Education Plan (PEP) or Education Pathway Plan (EPP) with you and the school or education and training provider.
We do this to make sure the right procedures have been followed and the right support has been put in place.
Further support will then be agreed to avoid continued escalation and possible risk of permanent exclusion.
Refer to Birmingham Virtual School’s guidance for schools and settings.
Statutory guidance
In July 2022 (and further updated in September 2022), the Department for Education (DfE) published statutory guidance on suspension and permanent exclusions.
Listed below are some of the key changes and the implications they have for schools:
Some key changes
- A fixed term exclusion is now defined as a suspension. Exclusions refer to permanent exclusions
- It is important that children in care remain in a school even if their behaviour has suggested otherwise. The Birmingham Virtual School are here to help if difficulties arise
- The Local Authority must now be notified of all suspensions and exclusions, including those where the total has not exceeded five school days in the current term
- Where the pupil is looked after, or previously looked after, or has a social worker, the Virtual School Head (VSH) and/or their social worker must be notified in writing of all suspensions and exclusions
Page last updated: 15 May 2024