How Does School Exclusion Work in the UK? A Guide for Parents

School exclusion in England is a formal process by which a headteacher removes a pupil from school for a fixed period or permanently. Parents must be notified in writing on the same day. The school remains responsible for the pupil's education throughout, and parents have the right to challenge the decision before governors.

What types of exclusion exist in English schools?

There are two types of exclusion in English schools:

Fixed-term exclusion (also called suspension): The pupil is excluded for a set number of school days. A single suspension cannot exceed five school days. A pupil can receive multiple suspensions during a school year, but the total across all suspensions cannot exceed 45 school days in any one school year before different procedures apply.

Permanent exclusion (also called expulsion): The pupil is removed from the school's roll entirely. This is a serious step and the last resort. The pupil must be provided with full-time alternative education from the sixth school day of the permanent exclusion.

The table below sets out the key differences:

Feature | Fixed-term exclusion (suspension) | Permanent exclusion (expulsion)
Maximum length | 5 days per incident; 45 days total per year | No time limit — indefinite removal from roll
Who decides | Headteacher | Headteacher
Who can overturn it | Governors can reinstate if exclusion over 5 days | Governors' discipline committee; independent review panel
Education provision | School day 1–5: school's responsibility; from day 6: LA must provide | From day 6: LA must provide full-time education
Impact on GCSE | Can affect coursework; exam arrangements may need adjusting | Pupil must be enrolled at a new school or AP to sit GCSEs
Stays on record | Yes — disclosed to future schools | Yes — disclosed to future schools

What reasons can a headteacher give for excluding a pupil?

Headteachers can only exclude for disciplinary reasons — behaviour serious enough to warrant removal from the school environment. The DfE statutory guidance specifies that exclusion applies to:

Serious or persistent breaches of the school's behaviour policy

Behaviour that would seriously harm the education or welfare of the pupil or others

Common reasons for suspension include persistent disruption, verbal abuse, or bullying. Permanent exclusion is reserved for the most serious incidents — violent assault, possession of weapons or drugs — or where all support strategies have been exhausted after repeated suspensions. Schools cannot exclude a pupil for having SEND or for unofficial "informal" removal (sending a child home without a formal notice), which is unlawful.

What must the school do when it excludes a pupil?

On the day of the exclusion, the headteacher must:

Inform the pupil and parent of the decision and the reason, immediately

Send a written notice to the parent on the same day, stating the reason, the length (or that it is permanent), the pupil's right to return (if fixed term), how to make representations to the governors, and the date of any review meeting

The written notice must also advise parents that from day six of any exclusion, the local authority must arrange suitable full-time education (or alternative provision). For fixed-term exclusions of fewer than six school days, the school must set and mark work for the excluded pupil during the exclusion period.

What are a parent's rights during an exclusion?

Parents have several specific legal rights:

Right to make representations: For any suspension of more than five days, or for a permanent exclusion, parents have the right to present their case to the school's governing board. For a permanent exclusion, this must be considered by the governing board's discipline committee.

Right to request an independent review panel: If the governors uphold a permanent exclusion, parents can request an independent review panel (IRP) to reconsider the decision. The panel can uphold, quash, or recommend reconsideration of the governing board's decision.

Right to request a SEND expert: At any IRP hearing, parents can request that a SEND expert is appointed to advise the panel, at no cost to the family. This is particularly important if the excluded pupil has identified or suspected special educational needs.

Right to see the evidence: Parents are entitled to see all the evidence the school is relying on before any governors' or IRP hearing. Request this in writing as soon as possible after receiving the exclusion notice.

What education must be provided during an exclusion?

For the first five school days of any exclusion, the excluding school is responsible for setting work and must mark it when returned. From the sixth school day, the local authority must arrange full-time education at an alternative provision (AP) — which may be a Pupil Referral Unit (PRU), a maintained AP school, or tuition provided in another setting.

For permanently excluded pupils, the duty to arrange full-time alternative provision from the sixth day is absolute. The pupil must be enrolled at the AP or a new mainstream school within the statutory timescale. Pupils approaching GCSE examinations continue to be entitled to full-time education and must be supported to complete their qualifications.

What happens to pupils who are permanently excluded?

A permanently excluded pupil is removed from the excluding school's roll. The local authority then has responsibility for their education. Most permanently excluded pupils are placed in:

Pupil Referral Units (PRUs): State-funded alternative providers that specialise in supporting pupils with challenging behaviour, SEND, or significant vulnerabilities

Alternative Provision academies: Schools with the same characteristics as mainstream academies but serving pupils who cannot attend a mainstream school

Managed moves: An informal but increasingly common arrangement where a pupil transfers to another mainstream school as an alternative to permanent exclusion, by mutual agreement of both schools

Permanent exclusion does not prevent a pupil from sitting GCSEs. The alternative provision or new school is responsible for ensuring the pupil can access their examination entries and complete any remaining coursework.

What should parents do immediately after an exclusion notice?

Read the exclusion letter carefully. It must contain specific information — if it does not state the reason, the duration, or your right to make representations, contact the school immediately and ask for a compliant notice.

Keep a dated copy of everything. All correspondence with the school, including emails, should be kept. If you speak to the headteacher or a governor by phone, follow up with a written summary.

Contact the school governors within the stated deadline. The letter will give you a deadline to notify the governing board that you wish to make representations. Missing this deadline can limit your options.

Seek advice if you need it. Independent advice on school exclusions is available from organisations such as the Advisory Centre for Education (ACE) and local authority parent partnership services.

Frequently asked questions

Can a school exclude a pupil with an EHCP?

Yes, but with additional safeguards. The school must consider whether the behaviour was related to the pupil's SEND before deciding to exclude — if it was, exclusion may be discriminatory under the Equality Act 2010. The governing board and any independent review panel must take the pupil's SEND into account. In permanent exclusion cases, parents can request that a SEND expert advises the review panel at no cost.

What is the difference between a fixed-term exclusion and an informal exclusion?

A fixed-term exclusion is a formal, documented decision with written notification to parents and full legal rights attached. An informal or "unofficial" exclusion — where a school sends a pupil home or asks a parent to collect a child without issuing a formal notice — is unlawful. If this happens, write to the headteacher asking for a formal exclusion notice; the school must either issue one or allow the child to attend.

How long can a school suspend a pupil for in one year?

A single suspension cannot exceed five school days, but a pupil can be suspended multiple times in a year. Once the total reaches 45 school days in any one school year, the local authority becomes involved and the case is subject to additional scrutiny. Repeated fixed-term exclusions can also be a factor when a school is considering a permanent exclusion, particularly where support strategies have not been implemented alongside sanctions.

Does exclusion affect GCSE results or university applications?

Exclusion can indirectly affect GCSE outcomes if it disrupts coursework or revision, but an exclusion record does not appear on the GCSE certificate or a UCAS application. What matters is that the pupil remains in education, continues their GCSE courses, and receives the same examination entries. If you are concerned about your child's GCSE preparation, discuss continuity of subject provision with both the excluding school and the alternative provision or new school.

For subject support at KS3 and GCSE, visit aitutors.me.