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Statutory guidance: School suspensions and permanent exclusions

Department For Education

September 1
08:00 2022

Details

This guidance details the legal responsibilities for those who suspend (fixed period exclusion) and permanently exclude pupils from educational settings, including:

  • headteachers
  • local authorities
  • governing bodies
  • academy trusts
  • independent review panel members
  • independent review panel clerks
  • special educational needs experts

It governs the exclusion of pupils from:

  • local-authority-maintained schools
  • academies and free schools
  • pupil referral units

Statutory guidance sets out what schools and local authorities must do to comply with the law.

Further guidance and resources

Published 20 June 2012
Last updated 1 September 2022 +show all updates
  1. Removed 'Exclusion from maintained schools, academies and pupil referral units in England 2017' as it no longer applies. Replaced 'Suspension and permanent exclusion from maintained schools, academies and pupil referral units in England, including pupil movement' with a new version. Changes to this version include an update to paragraph 104 to make it clear that only suspensions have a time limit and that the governing board is not required to arrange a meeting with parents. We have also included a link in paragraph 75 to find details of local services.

  2. Added 'Suspension and permanent exclusion guidance 2022' and updated further resources.

  3. Removed guidance on changes to the school suspension and permanent exclusion process during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, as it has been withdrawn.

  4. Returning the number of days which must be allowed to raise an application for an independent review to 15 days.

  5. Updated, 'Changes to the school suspension and permanent exclusion process during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak', including the continuation of the use of remote access technology.

  6. Amended mentions of the word 'expulsion(s)' to 'permanent exclusion(s)'.

  7. Updated 'Changes to the school suspension and expulsion process during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak' to highlight the changes from 25 March 2021.

  8. Updated the guidance on changes to the school exclusion process during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak to highlight changes to the exclusions process from 25 September 2020.

  9. Updated the guidance on changes to the school exclusion process during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, including changes to the exclusions process from 25 September 2020, clarification on the conditions for virtual governing boards and review panels and procedural guidance on virtual meetings.

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