In an ideal world, school exclusions would be a rare occurrence. Sadly, however, they are now an integral part of everyday life in schools nationwide, and the situation shows little sign of improvement.
The term ‘exclusion’ encompasses both suspensions and permanent exclusions. According to Department for Education data for the autumn term 2024 to 2025 in England, there were around 3,700 permanent exclusions. While this marks a slight decrease from the previous autumn term, the figure remains significantly higher than pre-pandemic levels, reinforcing the ongoing pressure on schools to respond effectively to behaviour.
During the same period, suspensions remained high, with over 330,000 recorded across the term, highlighting the scale and frequency of disruption being experienced across education settings.
Permanent exclusions were recorded across all settings, including primary, secondary, and special schools. However, the majority involved secondary school pupils, accounting for over 80% of cases. The most commonly recorded reason for exclusion continues to be ‘persistent disruptive behaviour’, underlining the need for consistent, proactive approaches that support staff to respond early, reduce escalation, and maintain engagement in learning.
Read our article about the use of internal suspensions.
The sheer volume of school exclusions is cause for concern and raises serious questions around the short- and long-term impact of such measures on not only the individuals directly involved, but also on schools, families, and society as a whole.
The Timpson Review of School Exclusion reported that a mere 7% of children and young people who have, at one time or another, been permanently excluded from school achieved good passes at GCSE in English and Maths. These qualifications are essential for successfully navigating next steps in life, within and beyond education. Such a low rate of attainment for these students is gravely worrying and is likely to adversely affect their life chances.
Many within this category risk becoming disenfranchised and can quickly fall through cracks in the system. For example, the same report highlighted a correlation between school exclusion and criminal activity. Of course, the picture is much more complex than that, and there are many other factors that could make an individual vulnerable to criminality, but we need to be alert to all the potential consequences of school exclusions.
And it’s not just the individuals themselves who may suffer: parents and carers of individuals who have been excluded can experience a deep-rooted sense of shame and stigma, leaving them feeling helpless and isolated within their communities.
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