Norfolk Guidance on Exclusions

To: All Head Teachers
All Governing Bodies

The final Exclusions document, which was consulted upon last term, is now attached. Thank you for your contribution to this consultation process.

This document has been drawn together so that Headteachers and Governing Bodies have one source of information, which promotes the most recent government guidance (October 04) and encourages all of us to work together consistently in managing the difficult area of exclusions. It gives Norfolk contact details and examples of good practice letters.

This document will be discussed at the 5 area Headteacher briefings led by Lisa Christensen, which begin on 29th April 05. If you have any questions about this document, please raise them at these meetings or alternatively raise them with the Exclusions Team, based at Carrow House (Dave Pearce: Education Officer - Exclusions 01603 223610).

The question of exclusions was a recent subject of a Cabinet Scrutiny Committee and a number of issues arose from that investigation process, which require emphasis:

• Informal exclusions are illegal and schools should not be adopting this approach. The reason for this is that it is discriminatory, it denies parents their right to appeal and has an impact on the recording of pupil attendance.
  
  
• After a fixed term exclusion, schools should actively pursue the attendance of the pupil, if he or she does not return by the agreed date. If this is unsuccessful, the Attendance Team should be informed.
  
  
• On page 6 of the guidance there is a description of Section 17 of the Crime and Disorder Act (1998), which places a duty on authorities to take all steps to reduce crime. Although this is a duty on authorities rather than schools, the co-operation of schools and Headteachers is essential in view of the likely impact that exclusions may have on local levels of crime and disorder.
  
  
• Governors' training is being organised about these procedures this term, because these are complex and training will be aimed at achieving greater consistency in our approach. If Headteachers would also like similar training this could be provided in the future by the Exclusions Team.