Longfield commission sets out plan to end ‘perverse exclusion culture’
Fiona Simpson
Friday, April 29, 2022
Scrapping the term “pupil referral unit” and banning exclusions for young children are among plans laid out by the former children’s commissioner for England to tackle “exclusion culture” in schools.
Anne Longfield’s latest report for her Commission on Young Lives says “over recent years, we have seen the growth of an exclusions culture that perversely rewards removing some vulnerable children from school roll”.
According to figures from the Department for Education, permanent exclusion figures have seen a gradual rise from 5,082 in 2010/11 to 7,894 in 2018/19, before the Covid-19 pandemic.
Despite schools being closed for part of the 2019/20 school year, 5,057 children in England were permanently excluded, the figures show.
Longfield warns that excluded children have a higher risk of involvement in the criminal justice system and being groomed and exploited by criminal gangs.
The report, All Together Now: Inclusion not exclusion – supporting all young people to succeed in school, proposes a series of measures to increase school inclusion and “divert vulnerable teenagers away from crime and exploitation”.
Longfield calls for an outright ban on the exclusion of primary school pupils within the next four years and the removal of children from secondary schools only to be used as a “last resort” when it is signed off by the chief executive of an academy school or multi-academy trust, or the director of children’s services in a local authority school.
The former children’s commissioner describes the current education system as having “no real accountability”.
Meanwhile, alternative provision for pupils who are unable to stay in mainstream school should be renamed “specialist provision” and made available to support struggling pupils to progress with their learning in school.
“The use of the label pupil referral unit should be scrapped,” the report recommends.
The commission also calls for the creation of a new national team of regional development advisers to work with schools, local authorities and health agencies to support the implementation of inclusive schools in every area, backed by a new transitional fund.
Ofsted should also introduce a measure on inclusion which specifies no school should be rated “good” or “outstanding” without meeting it and school league tables should include a pre-defined measurement of pupil wellbeing alongside exam results, the report adds.
Longfield highlights the need for teams of youth and community workers to be based in all schools to build relationships and support young people as well as workforce strategies implemented to increase the number of black teachers in classrooms and in leadership roles.
Longfield said: “Inclusive schools and colleges around the country are already showing how it can be done. They are an anchor in the community, offering families and children the support they need to do well. But too often they are the exception because the system does not provide schools with the direction, support, and resources needed to deliver for every child.”
Responding to the report, Iryna Pona, policy and impact manager at The Children’s Society, said: “Exclusions should be the absolute last resort, and should only happen in conversation with social care and a child’s family and when specialist support is in place to ensure their learning, wellbeing and safety are not harmed.”
A DfE spokesperson said suspensions and exclusion were “necessary and essential behaviour management tools” for schools.
“Longer term, our recently published SEND and alternative provision green paper set out our plans to reform alternative provision, changing the culture and practice of how settings run and best support their pupils,” the spokesperson added.
