Exclusions / Appeals / Just help!!!

[TheMonkeysAreMine]

I’ll try and be as brief and precise as possible.

Our son is in reception and since September has been displaying difficult and violent behaviour at school which has become increasingly difficult to manage.

He is currently under assessment through CYPS, he has had a behaviour support worker working with him in school. He has had a reduced timetable since January 30th and has only been in school the equivalent to one week since this date.

He has been given 2 fixed term exclusions. Both result from him being restrained in school and him trying to free himself. As he has been trying to free himself he has headbutted a member of staff, resulting in the exclusion. The first exclusion was for just 1 day. The second for 5.

I would like to appeal the exclusion as I feel that excluding him is unfair on the grounds that as we don’t know what’s causing this behaviour, ultimately he doesn’t have the correct support in place at school. I also feel it’s an inappropriate punishment for a five year old who was very stressed, anxious and angry at the time of the incidents. I have been told though that regardless of any diagnosis/non diagnosis an exclusion would have taken place regardless.

I am by no means suggesting the school have not been supportive of our son so far as they have been .

An EHCP has been applied for and we’re awaiting the assessment.

Our sons support worker has finished her time allowed with our son so he is no longer in school with a support worker.

In fact he is no longer in school at all. Next week we start the private tuition that school is paying for to be carried out outside of school premises. This is for 6 hours a week, initially until May half term.

I have been told that if my son has an outburst in a similar way to what has happened the last two times we’re looking at a permanent exclusion.

A managed move isn’t available as the local schools are full.

Quite frankly, I don’t know what to do. 6 hours of tuition a week is not enough or viable long term. I don’t know if I can appeal the exclusions he has had. I’m extremely worried he is going to be permanently expelled from school on his next outburst....which will happen, I’ve no doubt he will have an outburst again.

I don’t know where to turn as my son is entitled to have a full time education provided for him and we are getting very very little education at all at the moment.

Any help would be very very appreciated 😊

What does the exclusion paperwork state as the reason for the exclusion related to headbutting? If a 5-yr-old (assuming the child isn't the height of a 15-yr-old!) was being held correctly, it should not be possible for those doing the holding to be headbutted. If the headbutting whilst being held is recorded as the reason for the exclusion, I would challenge that.

I'd also ask the school to refer your DS to the hard to place/fair access panel so he is flagged up at county level and a managed move considered formally. Does your county have an SEMH school (social, emotional and mental health needs)? If so, seek advice from the headteacher there and ask if the school has an assessment class/unit or if the school also provides the 'post 6 days' provision for excluded pupils.

Thanks for the replies

He was excluded because he broke the behaviour policy, while being restrained....the thought that a school and a county cant accommodate a 5 year old is ridiculous.

We considered a managed move with the 'help' of county. The schools we were considering are full. All schools are full.

I've sought legal advice today. I've done what the school and county have asked for 3.5 months and I'm getting no where.

He's entitled to full time education. He's getting less than half of that. Tbh I'm getting so sick of it all and feel I'm being a pushover. I've cooperated completely so far and it's not benefitted my ds at all imo.

The EHC plan should be expedited. This needs to state which school is suitable. He should have received outreach provision from the nearest specialist behaviour school but you cannot get him into a school like this without the plan stating it. I would press for a suitable school place very hard. Full won’t be full when he has the school named on the plan.

If a GP can get you to see a child psychiatrist it could speed things up. Have you got a name for the person driving the statement process at the LA? They need pressure put on them to get all the evidence together. You should be involved in this process.

You are right that they are not providing what they need to. Budgets are ludicrously tight everywhere and there is never enough money to go round. Never has been. However I think you need to rattle every cage and try and speed up the process.