Permanent exclusion

[lilsgree]

Can the school do this??
My child has been permanently excluded for shouting at one teacher and supposedly pushing her way through another on her way out of the class. Witnesses who were there say she did not push this teacher and she also claims and swears on God and the bible that she didnt push this teacher.
The school still said in the meeting that there were 13 year 8s who wrote that she did push the teacher but they did not investigate the other students who were there that said she did not.
We have had many calls regarding her behaviour but not towards teachers mostly for breaking basic school rules like eating in the corridors, missing deadlines, and wearing two earring studs which is not allowed in her school.
In the meeting we were given an option to manage move but im not sure if this option is still available for her. How do we get this option because we feel it will be alot suitable than being expelled for something she did not do.

Also my child is black do you think this has anything to do with it?

Well if she has been aggressive towards a member of staff (pushing them) and this is on the back of, what sounds like, a string of ongoing behaviour issues. Then, yes they can exclude her. Is this a state school? Permanent exclusion is actually quite hard to do so I’d be surprised if this episode is the only issue that school have with your daughter. What have your done to address all the poor behaviour in the past?

" We have had many calls regarding her behaviour" this is why the school is suggesting a managed move! There is obviously a pattern of disruptive, and possibly violent (??) behaviour? It is very hard for state schools to permanently exclude pupils so this can't just be an isolated incident.
What are you doing to support the school and deal with her behaviour?

"Also my child is black do you think this has anything to do with it?" Do YOU think this is the reason?

It's really hard to permanently exclude a pupil, there has to have been multiple incidents involving huge amounts of paperwork. It can't be done for one incident of pushing so I think there is more to this.

Statistically more black pupils are excluded if you believe this is the only reason for excluding your son then you can investigate further. If the incidents stated have actually happened then you need to work with the school. A new school could be a fresh start.

Statistically more black pupils are excluded

This isn’t true anymore and hasn’t been for a few years.

I’m a teacher. If a 13 year old pupil pushed me out of the way in anger then I’d absolutely expect a minimum of a fixed term exclusion.
OP, it doesn’t matter how many times your DD ‘swears’ that she didn't push the teacher - do you know how common it is for kids to lie if it gets them out of trouble?

https://www.theguardian.com/education/2025/jan/31/school-exclusions-research-ethnicity-poverty-special-educational-needs

It’s her daughter.

There's been an escalation of bad behaviour and if the teacher says she pushed her, I imagine she pushed her -let's be honest your DD has more reason to lie.

However having worked in a college I saw first hand black and minority students being excluded seemingly quicker than their white peers. In a lot of instances the students who were given a second chance had a parent attend all meetings and advocate for their child loudly. It's horribly unpopular to voice it but I raised that I thought black students were sometimes not supported by the college fairly, racism is real, whatever middle class white folk (like myself) like to think.

Is she being excluded for this incident alone as a serious one-off incident, or for persistent disruptive behaviour culminating in this incident? It must be one or the other. The school will also have to make a clear case that your daughter remaining at the school will harm her or others at the school.

I'd suggest you get advice from a specialist lawyer.

Why would 13 children and the teacher lie and say she pushed the teacher??

That said as a one off I am surprised permanently excluded.

It is my understanding that firstly with a managed move that you don’t get to choose where that move is to. The “new” school have a period of time to decide if they accept the pupil. So they have to “prove “ themselves it is not automatic that they get to stay.
I think now your daughter has been permanently excluded that a managed move is off the cards as she has no initial school to go back to.
The next step might be a PRU pupil referral unit. They have smaller classes and more strategies for behaviour, if they do well there they may go back to a main stream school. Again I don’t think you get a choice.
Now is the time to really get to the bottom of what is causing your daughter to not follow basic rules and why she is behaving in an unacceptable way, otherwise she is missing out on her education which she will regret when older. Also bear in mind that colleges ask schools for information on pupils so her record follows her and could limit her choices at 16 including apprenticeships.

Pushing a teacher is assault, yes she should be permanently excluded. Their where 13 witnesses. Teachers have a right to be safe in their work environment, kids need to understand they carnt just assault a teacher.

A student once threw a chair at me. Excluded.

Perhaps your daughter stops 'swearing on God and the bible' and actually read it and learn from it, and you could start parenting her but that's probably to late to change her behaviour.

Don't blame the school for following their behaviour policy, the only person who is responsible for her behaviour is her and this the consequences of her own actions.

You should support the school and discipline her to help her understand what she has done.

It sounds like there have been many incidents where behaviour has not been acceptable. However minor you may perceive them they are disruptive to school life.
Thirteen others say she pushed the teacher, and that needs a consequence. I can't say whether your child or the teacher is lying but I can say your child has more reason to lie and the other 13 is a big enough number to suggest that's what happened

Is your child very religious? You seem to take a lot of stock in her swearing on god and the bible.

There is an appeal process.

www.gov.uk/school-behaviour-exclusions/challenging-exclusion#:~:text=You'll%20be%20invited%20to,if%20the%20school's%20an%20academy).

I'm not sure if managed move is available after permanent exclusion (I work in an area where it is not used and students move to other schools instead).

I'd suggest you contact the school.

Do you often excuse her terrible behaviour?

It’s not easy for schools to PEx a student so what is the background to this?

I'd push back on the managed move first, asking how this could've escalated so quickly. And ask to see a copy of the full investigation. How many previous minor issues were there. I'd make it clear I wanted to discuss her return asap.

You seem to be backing your daughter in all of this despite a string of behavioural issues from her disregarding numerous school rules which you admit to, eating in corridors, breaking uniform code, shouting at a teacher but you believe your DD when she says she didn't push the teacher. Maybe those who gave witness statements who confirm she did this are more reliable than the ones who apparently said she didn't.

This is entirely the wrong attitude to take, your DD is quite frankly a pain in the arse. We deliberately chose a school that was very harsh on this repeated low level behaviour so our children could actually gain an education.

You should be working with the school to work out what the best course of action is for her to continue her education. If a managed move was offered I would suggest taking it.

What has skin colour got to do with anything? Your child behaviour is the issue, not her skin.

It has to go in front of a panel of governors to uphold the exclusion (if you are in England) you will get to see all the evidence before the panel and attend it, there is also the ability to appeal.

if the managed move happens and breaks down then she will be excluded

the LA will have a duty to find alternative education for your daughter

It is important to establish whether this exclusion is for a single serious incident or for persistent disruptive behaviour. If the single incident you would have more grounds to appeal if there is a big difference between what the involved parties are saying. The exclusion letter will give the grounds as above.
There will be a governors disciplinary meeting where they consider whether to uphold the headteachers decision or to reinstate your daughter. You can mke your case there. However, if you would want a managed move if that is available the permanent exclusion can be cancelled BEFORE the governors meeting has happened if so. But no point in a managed move unless your daughter accepts she will need to change her behaviour and make better choices. Otherwise the issues are likely to continue at a new school.

The thing is im certain she didnt push the teacher she is not an aggressor child.