NCB Now: Comment - School exclusions have long-term consequences

The Government may greet this rise as part of its strategy to tackle poor behaviour, but in the meantime the long-term effects of school exclusion are largely being ignored.

The Social Exclusion Unit has found strong links between exclusion and future criminal activity as well as reduced life chances and, predictably, poor educational attainment. Many excluded children will be passed around several schools before ending up in pupil referral units, where the quality of provision has already prompted serious concerns from Ofsted.

We have heard much rhetoric from the Government about how every child matters and the need for schools to work collaboratively to "share the burden" of difficult pupils. At the same time, however, official targets to reduce exclusions have been lifted, headteachers have more freedom to exclude, and increasing demands are placed upon schools to improve performance.