Education: Exclusions - Proposals to deny right to appeal are slammed

Conservative leader David Cameron said for a child expelled for bad behaviour to come "swaggering back in" sent the wrong message about the relative power of the school and the child.

Teacher's unions had previously warned that increasing numbers of exclusions overturned on appeal could undermine head teachers' authority (Children Now, 4-11 July).

"I want to see an end to the system of appeals panels second-guessing head teachers' decisions," Cameron said. "These decisions should be taken in schools.

However, the Children's Legal Centre director Carolyn Hamilton said the proposals would leave children unprotected.

"At present children are safeguarded against unfair exclusions by the provision of a right of appeal to an independent panel. Removal of that right would leave children unprotected against unlawful and arbitrary decisions," she said.

Mary Bousted, general secretary of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers, agreed great caution should be used before removing a pupil's right to question his or her expulsion at an independent appeal panel.

"Being expelled has serious long-term implications and all pupils have a right to natural justice," she said.

Martin Ward, the deputy general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, added that it would be dangerous to abolish exclusion appeals panels but said their powers should be limited to deciding the extent to which procedures and school policy were followed.

Meanwhile school governors have offered a cautious welcome to the new approach.National Governors' Association chief executive Phil Revell said it was "deeply frustrating" for governing bodies when an exclusion decision is overturned.