Aug 15, 2020, Teeside Live: 'Forgotten children' far more likely to be expelled or suspended from school https://www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/teesside-news/forgotten-children-far-more-likely-18775124 Northeast England The most vulnerable kids in Teesside continue to be targeted by school exclusions, two years on from a damning report on the “scandal” of these “forgotten children”. In 2018, a report from the House of Commons’ Education Committee found that an increasing number of children were being unnecessarily excluded from school, and abandoned with an inadequate education. In particular, the report highlighted that children who were already the most vulnerable - such as children with special educational needs (SEN) and those living in poverty - were the most likely to be excluded. Now, two years after these findings came to light, an investigation into the latest government figures reveal that the problem still very much persists in Teesside’s schools. In particular, our research found that within mainstream secondary schools in our area: Children with SEN are more than three times as likely to be expelled and more than twice as likely to be suspended as other children… Boys are more than twice as likely to be expelled and nearly twice as likely to be suspended as girls … However, teachers’ unions say it is government cuts in support services that are chiefly to blame…. “That Government has been failing both for so very long should be a point of shame. “A properly funded strategy of support for schools and pupils, and changes to high-stakes testing which puts so many children off learning, will be of much greater practical use, and will in turn drive down exclusion figures."
The Government say they are increasing high needs funding for local authorities by £780 million [$1B U.S.] this year and a further £730 million [$965M U.S.]next year, to help schools support children and young people with the most complex SEN. A Department for Education spokesperson said: “Our statutory guidance is clear that headteachers should, as far as possible, avoid permanently excluding any pupil with an education, health and care plan and take action to address the underlying causes of disruptive behaviour, including assessing whether the right measures are in place to support any special educational need or disability (SEND) a pupil may have. “Our SEND Review is actively considering how we can identify and support children and young people earlier before issues escalate.” Overall exclusions In the 2018/19 academic year, 2,827 school children were excluded from Teesside's state funded secondary schools for a fixed period at least once - down from 2,858 the year before. A further 159 pupils were permanently excluded, which was up from 136 expulsions in 2017/18 and a record high.
Meanwhile, five children were expelled from Teesside's state funded primary schools in 2018/19 - the same number as the year before.
A further 200 primary-aged kids were suspended at least once, up from 172 the year before and again a record high….
