My 13 yr old son, excluded permanently for having cannabis at school

[NickiBH]

Can anyone offer me any remotely positive advice please? My sons school called me in today, he has been found with a very small amount of cannabis at school and excluded. He was given it (for free) from another student. The school have said it is 99.9% sure that he will be excluded permanently and that no other school will take him on, as they all have a zero tolerance approach to drugs. They did however ask him for as much info as possible about the other child. My son was very honest and told them that he had smoked it quite a few times outside of school with 2 friends who attend another school, one of which has contact with a dealer. The boy in his school and him have had a few conversations about weed, and today he apparently called my son over and gave him this free (Tiny) bag. The school have told me that there is a massive drug problem locally and that dealers are often recruited this way, with freebies which will have to be paid back somehow later on. This boy has also told my son that he grows it at home...I can only assume he means his parents?? .... and that he gets £5000 a shipment and makes a lot for himself. Anyway, it seems that this boy may well get to stay in school, as he is saying he found the weed on the street, but my son’s only option is now a CSS unit with other excluded kids and limited GCSE options.
Needless to say, I am absolutely devastated. I didn’t realise this was happening and feel like a complete failure as a Mum. I just feel like he has now blown so much opportunity for the future over one stupid thing.
The school have said I will have the right to appeal, but that this will most likely come to nothing.
Does anyone know anything that may help me?

I'm south coast and our local schools have all signed a charter and have a system set up whereby random sniffer dogs are bought into school. Due to location we and design of local area then county lines is a potential issue.

OP I think you have to accept that your son has dropped himself, for whatever reason, into a serious situation. I have sat on far too many panels for schools where drugs are involved and there is no understanding of the consequences
No school is going to accept a pupil having drugs on site. You need to establish what the school behaviour policy says firstly in terms of whether the school can and will in the right circumstances exclude pupils, especially in relation to drugs. Some schools have a dual policy of fixed term exclusion for possession or smoking and permanent exclusion for supply, so this needs checking carefully to confirm that the school have followed their policy.
As far as what happens next is concerned, the school governing board do have to hold a meeting for a permanent exclusion, which you need to be present at. At this meeting the governing board need to establish whether there are reasons to reinstate your son and if not will confirm the permanent exclusion. You then can make a further appeal to an independent review board if you feel it is appropriate. Frankly none of the comments about county lines, what has happened to the other pupil etc are relevant it is all about what your son did and why.
If you wish to message privately then I am happy to try and help with the way the process works etc

Many secondary schools have drug dogs in when the school is empty to highlight any areas of concern.
You need to refer to the behaviour policy that is used daily in school.
The panel will refer to the behaviour policy and any PHSE lessons about safeguarding, drugs, pastoral support and who any safe person is and how this is evidenced.
You may wish to ask your son to consider what PSHE and year sessions have covered over the last two years. They will have a rolling system of education about drugs and gangs etc.
You may wish to look at the school website to see if they have had expert speakers and visit about drugs.

It would be useful to have a statement about how stupid/remorseful he has been and what he should have done and will do if the situation arises again. It would be helpful to evidence any good attendance, that he has made friends, attends clubs and respects rules and that this is a blip/ error and not the norm.
That both parents are mortified and disappointed and have spoken to him and told him XYZ./ punishment/ changes to stop any repeat. That should he be given a chance you are confident next time he would act differently
Do not refer to it being a small amount. No drugs should be in school.

The Governors may ask him what he would do should he find himself in the same situation. He needs to be confident about his reply.
If they do not ask him it should be in his statement along with what he wants to do with his life. What he has learnt.

The Governors will expect to be given a record of everything that has been provided about drugs, who to speak to, what to do etc that your son has had since year 7.

Each Governor has their own view and the outcome will be the majority vote. The vote is personal and has no reference to any other students and if one was reversed the day before for having more on them. They are never connected.

Actually, in an ideal world, an individual Governor’s vote will not be personal. They must be confident the Head has followed school policies, that the punishment is following behaviour, exclusion and sanctions policies and that it is proportionate. Timings of hearings must be as stated in the policy and evidence submitted in advance as laid down.

They should also be confident that no inadmissible evidence is provided by the school (low grades and SEN for example) and that the hearing is conducted in a fair way. The Head cannot put forward last minute evidence not given to the parents for example.

They should also have had no involvement in the case before the hearing. They should not have been primed by the Head. Even if they, as individuals, think this DC should be permanently excluded, they must abide by any policies that say possession is fixed term, for example. Their decision must be justifiable according to the published policies and Government guidance.

Governors discuss the evidence presented at the hearing without the Head and parents present. They reach a majority decision.

You would inform the panel a child was SEN because there is an additional consideration and questions to be asked. It is personal because you are not there to rubber stamp the Heads decision and sometimes the situation is not as clear cut as it appears in paper.
I am sure if the poster presents as a sensible mortified parent of a usually well behaved child who is remorseful this would be the best approach in my view.

I'm very sorry this has happened OP. I'm glad there are a few people on here who can give you such well informed advice. Just a couple of thoughts.

At my DC's old school - a very large comprehensive in an affluent part of London - there were a couple of occasions where students were found with smallish quantities of cannabis. In some of the cases the school did not permanently exclude on appeal - (though the students were heavily punished) because of their previously good records and the small quantities involved. On other occasions they did exclude two students who had larger quantities and were suspected of supplying others. So they did take a 'horses for courses' approach.

Re county lines. A good friend of mine's 15 yr old daughter was arrested last year with a quantity on her sufficient for supply (£100s worth). She has just been to court for her first hearing. Her story to her Mum hasn't been entirely consistent but she says she was given most of it by another person. Because the court consider it a potential county lines case (which my friend doubts!) they are considering treating her DD more leniently. They are more interested in those that are establishing and running the county line than the 'pawns' who are being manipulated and used to deliver. I just thought I'd mention this as its suggests a very different perspective. County lines is a huge problem - they are trying to take down the whole organisation and are less interested in the kids who are being used by it. If they believe there is a county lines defence my friend's DD will not face a more serious sanction, though social services etc are now involved.

I realise you are not dealing with the police and courts in this case but just thought you might be interested that county lines might not have the impact you expect.

I have had a meeting today and great news, that the school have investigated further and are not planning to continue with an application for permanent exclusion and are now following a fixed term exclusion with ongoing sanctions and a planned gradual return as long as there are no further issues whatsoever. They have made it clear that this is not usual as it would have been a permanent exclusion had it not been for several reasons, with his previous good behaviour and parental support being part of these.
I am pretty sure a major lesson has been learned here, although of course I will remain vigilant.
Just wanted to say a huge thank you to everyone here who has offered advice and support. It was a sudden idea to post a thread and I am overwhelmed by the amazing and helpful response I have had. I am so so relieved.

I am so glad for you OP. I hope you and your ds can recover well from this and you’re able to protect him from the system he was getting drawn into.

Great news. Bloody kids, eh? I hope it scared the crap out of him and that he'll keep out of trouble in future. Well done you - what a great mum.

Hmmm. You can't have a fixed term exclusion with a "planned gradual return": once a fixed term exclusion has come to an end the pupil must by law be back in school full time.

I think you need to get something in writing and then check the position with your local authority who may be able to exert pressure.

Result ! Fingers crossed all goes well from here.

Sounds like a good outcome.

Let's hope it's been a wake up call but I'm sure with your attitude he'll be fine

Well done!

Beveren Could it be

• fixed term exclusion
• return to in-school 'inclusion unit'
• gradual return to main school from inclusion unit

If I were the school I'd want to make sure there wasn't any 'look how cool I am' bravado on return to classes

teen
That's how I would expect a gradual return to work for the reasons you've outlined.

The last thing any school would want is a student excluded for drugs issues is the student back in and able to talk the talk and be the big I am. I'm sure the OP's son won't be doing that given he's been given a kick and has a great mum on his case, but others would wear the exclusion as a base of honour.

That’s great news @NickiBH. I’m really pleased for you.

Also agree with lola and teen re return to school

Clearly the school have carried out more investigation and have come to a conclusion that there were extenuating circumstances as to why they are no longer pursuing a permanent exclusion. I suspect this is to do with what the other boy involved has confessed to
You do need to check what is happening as you will (or should) have received a letter from the headteacher confirming the permanent exclusion. That needs to be rescinded in writing by the headteacher before the governor panel meets. If the panel meeting starts then the panel has to complete the process, it cannot be stopped half way through. The headteacher will then issue a new letter confirming the fixed term exclusion. When that time period is up, your son is back to school full-time. Again the legislation is clear on what is and is not allowed to happen, so whilst a return to school meeting is perfectly reasonable, it is not allowed for the return to only happen under set circumstances.
Your son does need to understand that this exclusion will stay on his school record and so for instance if he is applying for university the exclusion will have to be revealed. So there may be some long-term impact in the future.

I followed the thread but had nothing useful to post so didn't but I am so pleased at your news. That is such a good outcome and pretty much the norm in my area of London.

And well done to all the posters who made positive contributions and helped the OP.

Yes, exactly as that - fixed term exclusion to work from home with provided work, then return to school isolation unit for 6 weeks, which may be at another school depending on available space, or at his normal school with a later school start and finish time, indeed to prevent him mixing with other students. And then gradual return to normal - all being well.
A million times better than the alternative PRU.

Thanks @GovernorGal You’ve been great.

I think the school can (and should) investigate before they permanently exclude. The Head possibly didn’t send the PE letter! So won’t have to rescind it. They might have just warned PE was the likely outcome but I feel it’s good news that he wasn’t. It seems a fair outcome to me and presumably follows the school’s policies. Well done!

I am so glad that the outcome is more positive now. A real wake-up call for your son.

Any parent could potentially find them selves in this situation - peer influence is so potent at this age.

The excellent adice on this thread has been a pleasure to read. The internet working at its best.

That's great news op.