Excluding pupils is not an easy decision for schools. There are certain duties they must perform when doing so. This is to safeguard parents' and children's rights.

Information for parents

Good discipline in schools is vital to give the best learning environment for all pupils.

The decision to exclude a pupil is a very serious matter and must be:

  • lawful
  • reasonable
  • fair

Only the school head teacher, or delegated authority, can exclude pupils. They may decide to exclude a pupil only when they are sure that:

  • the pupil has broken the school’s behaviour policy (the school rules)
  • the pupil remaining in school would have serious harm to their education or welfare
  • the pupil remaining in school would have serious harm to the education or welfare of others

A school can suspend pupils (half a day to 45 days) or permanently exclude them.

If the school suspends a pupil they must name a date when the pupil can return. Exclusions should be as short as possible so that the pupils' education is not disrupted.

The school must provide work that the pupil can do at home for the first five days of the suspension. The school must arrange an alternative placement from the sixth day. This is usually at another school in the city. If the exclusion is permanent, we will provide this.

During the exclusion, the child must not come on to the school premises at any time, including during:

  • breaks
  • lunchtimes
  • before and after school

They will not be able to use school transport for that period.

Permanent exclusions should always be a last resort. There will be exceptional circumstances where it is appropriate to permanently exclude a child for a first or one-off offence.

Parents' rights around exclusion

The parent is the focus of all the legislation relating to exclusion until a pupil reaches the age of 18.

Your child's school must inform you of an exclusion as soon as possible. This will normally be by telephone.

The headteacher must write to you within one day. to inform you of your child's exclusion, explaining:

  • the type of exclusion
  • the reasons for the exclusion
  • that you have the right to make representation to the Discipline Committee

Making representations

How you do this will depend on the length of the exclusion:

  • 5 days or less. You can make a written representation
  • 6 to 15 days inclusive. You can ask to meet with the Discipline Committee
  • More than 15 days (including permanent). The Clerk to the Committee will write to you inviting you to a meeting of the Discipline Committee

Meeting with the Discipline Committee

The Clerk will make arrangements for the Governors to meet. The timescales for this meeting are set legally as follows:

  • if the exclusion is for 15 days or less and you made written representations or asked to meet the Committee, then the meeting will be held between the 6th and 50th day following the start of the exclusion
  • if the exclusion is a period in excess of 15 days or permanent, then the meeting will be held between the 6th and 15th day following the start of the exclusion.

You will receive a copy of any reports and documents provided to the Discipline Committee. You can have these translated if your first language is not English. You may also send a written statement or other evidence for the Committee to consider. The clerk will help you when to do this.

Extra support

How we can help

Experienced council officers can discuss matters with you in confidence. Despite this, the Council cannot:

  • tell schools what to do
  • overrule the headteacher's decisions

Contact the Inclusion Team

Other support available for families

The Education Inclusion Officers may think some extra support would be helpful to you and your child. They may refer for help from the following services:

  • Early Help Teams provide support to families with Early help assessments
  • Wolverhampton Information, Advice and Support Service (WIASS). Impartial and confidential information, advice and support. Offered to parents and carers
    • with a child who has special educational needs (SEN) or a disability
    • has concerns that their child has special educational needs

Alternative Provision Directory

The City of Wolverhampton Alternative Provision Directory aims to provide information regarding Alternative Provision in and around the borders of Wolverhampton.

We believe all children and young people, including those in alternative provision settings, deserve a high-quality education and the chance to fulfil their potential.

Alternative Providers can offer high quality off-site tutoring or intervention services to meet children and young people’s varied and complex needs. Schools can use alternative provision to prevent exclusions or re-engage pupils in their education, whether this is a return to mainstream school, specialist provider or post-16 provision. View the Alternative Provision Directory for further details of current providers who have registered on our Alternative Provision Flexible Framework or have been quality assured by the City of Wolverhampton Council.

View Alternative Provision Directory

Information for schools

Notification of a child's exclusion

When a headteacher excludes a pupil, they must immediately notify the parent (or pupil if aged 18). This should be first by telephone and then followed up by a letter.

Notifying the parent in writing depends on when the pupil is excluded:

  • When the exclusion is at the end of the afternoon session and starts the next school day. The school must notify the parents before the start of the day.
  • When the exclusion is in the morning session and starts from that afternoon. The school must notify the parents before the start of the afternoon session.
  • When the exclusion is in the afternoon session and starts that afternoon. The school must notify the parents by the end of the afternoon session.

School should not send a pupil home for part of a day without taking action to exclude/suspend the child. This ‘cooling-off period' has no basis in law. Informal or unofficial exclusion is illegal even if the parents or carers agree to it. This ‘cooling-off period' has no basis in law. Informal or unofficial exclusion is illegal even if the parents or carers agree to it.

Notification of Permanent Exclusion

Only Headteachers should submit a notification to us. The notification should be for Lawnswood or Alternative Provision programme. The pupil must have been permanently excluded.

Complete the form in full to make sure that decisions are timely, transparent and fair.

The organisation receiving the child will use the information to plan

  • admission
  • support
  • interventions

When completing the form:

  • Include any extra information you feel will secure the best interests of the pupil.
  • Identify the pupil's positive attributes.
  • Highlight strategies that have been successful in helping the pupil.
  • Make sure the Headteacher has signed the form

Submit exclusion or suspension notification

Useful Links

School Admissions

Children Missing Education

SEND Local Offer

City of Wolverhampton College

18644