Teacher union warns over lack of exclusions for sexual harassment

Rosamund McNeil, head of education and equality at the National Union of Teachers, told the women and equalities committee during its inquiry into sexual harassment and sexual violence in schools that head teachers should heed Department for Education guidance that states pupils should be excluded in instances of sexual violence.

However, McNeil said there has been growing pressure on schools not to exclude pupils, because of the potential disruption it can cause to a child's education and wellbeing. She cited the fact that local authorities have been tasked to lower exclusion rates as an example of this.

"There's a definite sense now that heads feel exclusion is not what you're meant to be doing," she told MPs.

"There's an expectation that an exclusion is a failure. Exclusion is very serious for the young person and heads have always understood that, but there are always instances where exclusion is a fresh start for the person who is excluded, and a fresh start for people who may have had things done against them which led to the exclusion.

"The DfE exclusion guidance is very clear that heads and governors have the power to exclude a young person immediately in instances such as rape.
 
"It's important people are aware that there's just a perception on heads that exclusions are seen as a failing on part of the school, which is slightly inconsistent with the power given to heads in the exclusions guidance, which says 'you need to keep your school safe so we're giving you the power to exclude pupils who may be a risk to teachers or pupils'.

"There's a parallel pressure on heads to somehow prevent every exclusion," she said.

Birmingham Yardley MP and member of the committee Jess Phillips said she had seen an example of this firsthand.

"I'm dealing with a case at the moment where one child has accused another child of raping her in the same school and the victim is having to put up with that kid being in school all the time," she said.

The committee also heard from experts that there are concerns around data collection on sexual violence in schools.

"No one has a national picture, it doesn't exist," said McNeil. "There is no way of knowing and there is no one with the remit to know that.

"You record this information so you can have conversations around that intelligence to improve things."

Experts also agreed that there is confusion among schools about what information about harassment incidents need to be reported.

"We do see discrimination against women in schools," said Jane Millward, senior Ofsted inspector. I would doubt every incident of that is recorded.

"It's very much that lower-level stuff that can normalise things and I'd say that's a concern."

Gareth Edwards, policy and performance officer at the National Police Chiefs Council, added: "[Data recording in schools] can be a bit of a mixed bag. There have been questions around what level do you record something. The key question is what can be done with that information when it is collected."