(UK) "Growing education 'scandal' of students being excluded for behavior"

July 25, 2018, Independent: Excluded students being abandoned and failed by education system, MPs warn https://www.independent.co.uk/news/education/education-news/school-exclusions-alternative-provision-parents-education-select-committee-robert-halfon-a8461841.html A rising number of students are "abandoned" after being excluded from school in what is a growing education “scandal”, MPs have warned. There is a “lack of moral accountability” among many schools which have no incentive to keep on “challenging” pupils, the Commons' Education Committee said. … The cross-party group of MPs warned of an “alarming” increase in “hidden” exclusions, also known as "off-rolling", where pupils are taken off the school register, as well as the "over-exclusion" of pupils. Government figures published last week showed exclusions had reached the highest point in nearly a decade, with more than 40 children a day expelled from England's state schools in 2016/17. … The committee has recommended introducing a "bill of rights" for pupils and their parents which it said should include a commitment that schools publish their exclusions rates every term. … Examining the reasons for a rise in exclusions, the report said there was evidence of a rise in "zero-tolerance" behaviour policies which were creating school environments “where pupils are punished and ultimately excluded” for incidents that could and should have been managed by the school. There are at least 48,000 students who are educated outside of mainstream and special schools each year, according to the report, excluding those that remain on the full register of their school. Conservative MP Robert Halfon, chair of the committee, said: "Today, we face the scandal of ever-increasing numbers of children being excluded and being left abandoned to a forgotten part of our education system which too often fails to deliver good outcomes for these young people." … … some schools are seeking to improve their overall exam results by removing some of their most vulnerable children from the school roll. “Sadly this often includes a high number with Special Education Needs and Disabilities, who have no option but to go into inappropriate alternative provision or home education because they are seen as ‘too difficult’ or ‘too expensive’ too teach. “As a result we don’t know what education, if any, thousands of children are receiving. These are also often the children most vulnerable to exploitation or grooming by gangs and others.”…