How common are suspensions and part-time timetables for KS1 children?

[Cornishbelle]

How common is it for primaries to suspend ks1 kids? Two friends have spoken to me recently, their children have both been suspended at least twice and one was put on a part time timetable whilst the school undertook training on "how to deal with children like them". One child was physically restrained by two adults! I have hosted both of these children and find them to be whilst energetic, to be kind and happy children. One parent mentioned their child seems to have been triggered by other behaviour they witnessed at school?

We're in a typical suburban primary I would say wide range of socio economic situations etc so not as if we're in a super deprived struggling area, if this has any relevance really, I guess I'm failing to see what has changed in the three years since our last child left the school which appeared to be thriving.

Children often get suspended if they attack someone - child or member of staff. Some need restraining for their own safety or the safety of other people, otherwise they carry on with unsafe behaviour. Meeting a child outside of the school environment isn't a true reflection of how they can behave at school because school is often the trigger.
I've worked in quite a lot of schools and seen this scenario a few times. It can happen in any school, it isn't based on the location of the school.

This happened with a boy in my daughter’s year. Parents and staff said he was very disruptive and lots of the parents complained about him and the school had to address this, but in reality he had adhd and autism and it was a really sad situation - they were in year 3 at the time however; he should never have been in a mainstream school and they couldn’t meet his needs. He’s at another school now (specialist provision) and is doing well - I still see his Mum.
I think there’s always 2 sides to situations like this eg schools don’t have nearly as many TA’s or classroom assistants as they did - there just isn’t funding for them all to start with and they need to make sure everyone’s needs are met. I’m lead to understand exclusion is the last resort tho.

We certainly have more exclusions and part time timetables now than we ever used to have below Y3, but these are generally pupils with significant SEN.

I would be surprised if you’d had them round for play dates without a parent and there were no issues at all. Normally, suspensions would be due to physical aggressive acts towards other pupils/staff-more than an isolated kick/hit.

IME it happens for unsafe behaviour and is becoming more common in the (three) primaries I work with, due to ever increasing levels of need in the children.

I doesn't happen for things like persisent poor behaviour or uniform breaches like it does in secondaries.

This is usually for significant violence - hitting staff/children, throwing chairs, etc etc.

in reception/year 1 it’s usually autism or other significant SEN

Often sen kids.
My 14yo had a severe asd kid in reception. But also her, her friend and 2 others out of 60 had behaviour issues and all are audhd. And had day suspensions for turning tables or hitting or scratching kids

To an extent it is being surrounded largely unsupervised at school by kids with not great behaviour

You can see the latest suspension and permanent exclusion data here. The “pupil characteristics’ section includes by year group. Although it groups Y1 and below together and Y12 and above together.

Schools should not be using part-time timetables to manage behaviour. I suggest your friend reads the suspension and exclusion guidance, the SENCOP, IPSEA and SOSSEN’s websites, and requests an EHCNA.

In most cases they're not using pt timetables to "manage behaviour" but to meet the needs of children who can't cope and are overwhelmed with a full day at school.

While there are of course some DC that applies to, there are unfortunately many cases where part-time timetables are used to manage behaviour, so much so, the government feels the need to explicitly cover it in their suspension and exclusion guidance.

Besides, if DC cannot cope in school full-time, the school should be putting more support in place, bringing outside agencies in, requesting an EHCNA, etc. and that doesn’t always happen. Alternative provision (as well as part-time school or instead of school) should also be put in place for those who are CSA because the LA has a duty to ensure they still receive a suitable full-time education even if they can’t attend school full time.

Yes and it would be lovely if those things happened, but LAs make it increasingly difficukt to get an EHCP, schools SEN budgets have been cut over a decade or more, against increasing need, and where exactly are all these nice AP places, especially for young children?

Government know this is a failure to support SEN, and that a crisis is looming (if not already here), and the answer is to put pressure on schools to keep children who can't cope in class.

Any child whose behaviour is such that they get suspended at 6yo, isn't just badly behaved.

Any child whose behaviour is such that they get suspended at 6yo, isn't just badly behaved.

Absolutely, which is why I suggested reading the SENCOP, looking at IPSEA and SOSSEN’s websites, requesting an EHCNA, putting further support in place and outside agency involvement.

There are a lot of AP providers. Although for some DC, my DS1 included, there isn’t an AP setting that can meet needs, but alternative provision doesn’t have to be via a formal AP setting. There are other options. Sadly, it often takes parents forcing their LA’s hand.