Aibu to try and overturn my son’s permanent exclusion

You have a right to appeal. Will it succeed? Possibly if it really is a one of incident. In the meantime time they will place your son is alternative provision/Pru whilst the governors meeting is held. Contact your local authority fair access team as they will usually handle the alternative provision as that has to be in place by the 6th day. The fair access officer will also be best placed to tell you if the school is likely to rescind the permanent exclusion (sometimes for a one of incident they can set up a managed move or direct off site for the rest of year 11 so that your son sits his exams elsewhere) The most important thing is for you to know where this fits into their behaviour policy, they obviously can't have young people punching each other. They may state a 'zero tolerance' policy. A permanent exclusion must be justifiable and fair, that's what the governors meeting will decide . The independent review panel occurs after that and is more about has process been followed correctly.
I'd put your energy into sorting out the alternative provision as that's meant to be a short stay and then moving back into a different mainstream school.

How would you feel OP if your son had pulled the chair out from someone else and they violently punched him in the face 4 times and then blamed their lack of self control on a trigger?

As a teacher and a parent your DS will be much better in a PRU where he has access to support. Whilst the boy pulling the chair was in the wrong it sounds like your DS completely lost control and this can't happen in a school environment.

Work with the authorities to get the help
your boy needs - it could be the best move he makes. He will have access to education there. I wish you both luck - you survived domestic abuse and are looking out for your kids. Remember you are a great mum!

And the boy who pulled the chair out and later sent nasty texts gloating could use a behaviour unit too, don't you think?

Schools are not equipped to deal with extreme violence regardless as to the background of the perpetrator. Someone who uses this level of violence as a reaction when angry needs professional help. The student who stabbed another student to death last year also had an awful background - he was violent and carried a weapon on more than one occasion, which the school was aware of, but he was let off due to his history. Then he murdered someone in that very same school.

I'm very sorry for what you and your children have been through, and I totally understand your concern. However, I also understand the school's decision. They have duty of care to keep the other children safe, and unfortunately, your son presents a massive risk.

I don't know enough about the rules to comment on your chances of a successful appeal, but I do hope your son is able to get the help that he clearly needs very soon.

Unfortunately, until this is sorted out, I can’t see them backing down. He sounds too dangerously unpredictable to have in school. They need to safeguard other students.

Repeatedly punching someone in the head is very definitely malicious. He could easily have caused a permanent brain injury to the other boy.

The OP's son may have been provoked, but the response could have seriously injured or killed the other child.

Therefore a permanent exclusion appears to be warranted.

Plus the OP has just mentioned this incident at the new school. OP, what has your DS's behaviour been like at his previous schools? Maybe if the new school was aware of his past that is the added reason for going straight to a permanent exclusion?

Governors can't overturn it as I said so its not an appeal at this stage but they MAY ask the school to reconsider and the school MAY listen
You can go to Appeal if not but I have no idea what your chances of success would be, our school have won almost all of ours and that was procedural. If all proceedure is followed then its unlikely, luckily we have some really experienced and on the ball Governors so we adhere to procedure really well and if thats the case its hard to fight

It's terrible what he's been through OP but the other pupils need protecting from him right now.

If he attacks another child and the parents find out he'd already punched someone FOUR times in the face, and been allowed to remain in school, they'll be beyond fuming.

This...☝..... Yes his response was over the top, but it wouldn't have happened if he hadn't been assaulted first!! The other boy isn't innocent in all this. Pulling a chair out from under someone could result in a serious head injury. And I know this won't go down well with most, but if my son had been the one pulling the chair out I'd have told him he got what he deserved. OPs son needs help and support ... not exclusion. And the other boy needs taught about stupid reckless behaviour.

It’s a very sad situation but I agree with the school, your son can’t be around other children if he react like that. Hopefully a specialist trauma trained school will be offers.

Your son is lucky the police aren’t involved

But he is too much of a risk. Even if there are extenuating circumstances, it's unfair on the other children to be at school with your son if he becomes so violent when triggered. Hopefully a behaviour until will be able to manage him more safely.

First line is appeal to the governors, but as others have said, it’s whether the school followed the right process. Punching someone 4 times was a huge overreaction (I appreciate it’s a trigger). Imagine how that boy feels if your son came back to school. I think the school did the right thing. It’s not up to them to provide anger management counselling.

I’m sorry for what you and your son have been through but honestly you need to put your time and energy into supporting your son and getting him the help he needs.

The school need to protect all those in their care and sadly your son is too much of a risk for them. What happens if he is triggered again and ends up seriously hurting another child or worse?

Hope you and your son both get the support you need.

I mean, you'd be appealling to put him back into the same environment that produced the kind of violence that could have had life changing consequences and a place which is telling you that they do not have the resources to help your child.

Well done for being so staunchly supportive of your ds. He deserves a break.

I think in your shoes, I'd pursue the appeal, but also look at the PRU. If that is where he ends up, ask if they can put him back a year so he has a chance to catch up and really succeed at his exams.

I sit on PX Panels at a couple of local schools and unfortunately I think wee would probably uphold this decision. We are only there is make sure procedure has been correctly followed, we cannot overturn a decision due to any circumstances like the ones you describe
What we CAN do is ask the school to reconsider and if you came to the meeting and explained and your son was genuinely remorseful and I felt that he was not a danger to himself or other pupils then I would probably do that
However I can't speak for other Governors, the worst thing you can do is to not engage with The Panel though. We did a PX day a few weeks ago and only 1 parent out of 4 cases turned up (told us to Fuck off and left)