The only way to reduce exclusions at both primary and secondary level is to ensure earlier diagnosis and more effective interventions for special educational needs, writes Neil Miller
The call to ban permanent exclusions in primary schools (Report, 29 April) is an admirable aspiration, but misses an important point. Our multi-academy trust comprises special, alternative and mainstream provision. We also have an outreach team that works with children and teachers in many mainstream primary and secondary schools across two local authorities.
We are finding that almost every child at risk of exclusion (or who has been excluded) has a special educational need of some kind, and the challenging behaviour being exhibited will be a manifestation of this. The only way to deal with this effectively is to focus on the underlying issues. This means early intervention, diagnosis and an education healthcare plan (EHCP) where appropriate, to ensure the child can access the right support in a setting that’s right for them.
