Today the government published Edward Timpson CBE’s long awaited-review into school exclusions. The review makes 30 recommendations for change after finding that vulnerable children and young people make up the overwhelming number of excluded pupils, and that quality of practice differs dramatically between schools. Among the recommendations is that schools must be held accountable for unlawful exclusions - something that Just for Kids Law and its policy arm the Children's Rights Alliance for England have been campaigning for.
Enver Solomon, CEO of Just for Kids Law, said:
"We very much welcome the Timpson review and its recommendations, in particular the need for more accountability within schools. Our work has shown time and again that where schools have not met a lawful standard when deciding to exclude a child, there is currently little incentive for them to put things right. It is positive that the Department for Education has responded by committing to undertake a consultation on this issue.
"We also welcome the review’s conclusion that guidance needs to be updated to ensure that exclusions are only ever used as a last resort, as the law already makes clear that they should. We hope that the government will act quickly and take this opportunity to make real and lasting change for children, and turn back the trend of ever increasing exclusions."
