Exclusions

Suspension/ Permanent Exclusion Guidance

Promoting Positive Behaviour and Inclusion 

Good behaviour is essential to ensure that all pupils can benefit from education in a safe, calm and supportive environment. The Department for Education (DfE) recognises that suspensions, permanent exclusions, managed moves and off-site direction are important behaviour management tools that may be used by headteachers to maintain high standards of behaviour and safeguard school communities. However, for the vast majority of pupils, behavioural difficulties can be addressed through early intervention, appropriate support and effective behaviour management strategies.  

Schools play a key role in identifying and responding to the underlying factors that may contribute to a pupil's behaviour. This may include special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), mental health needs, safeguarding concerns, attendance difficulties, family circumstances or other vulnerabilities. Schools are expected to take a graduated and inclusive approach, using supportive strategies and reasonable adjustments where appropriate, to help pupils remain engaged in education and achieve positive outcomes.  

The Use of Suspension and Permanent Exclusion 

The DfE is clear that suspension and permanent exclusion should not be a routine responses to poor behaviour. Suspension may be appropriate where a school's behaviour strategies and all other interventions have been exhausted or where a serious incident warrants a fixed period away from school. Permanent exclusion should only be used as a last resort, in response to a serious breach or persistent breaches of the school's behaviour policy, and where allowing the pupil to remain in school would seriously harm the education or welfare of the pupil or others.  

The overarching aim is to balance the needs of the individual pupil with the safety, wellbeing and education of all members of the school community, while ensuring that every reasonable step has been taken to support a pupil before exclusion is considered.  

Statutory Guidance 

The DfE's Suspension and Permanent Exclusion Guidance should not be read in isolation. The guidance describes itself as a companion document to  Behaviour in Schools (February 2024), which supports headteachers and school staff in developing inclusive behaviour policies, creating a positive school culture and promoting high standards of behaviour. The exclusions guidance is intended to be used only where the strategies, practices and interventions set out in Behaviour in Schools have not been successful and more significant interventions or sanctions are required.  Suspension and Permanent Exclusion from Maintained Schools, Academies and Pupil Referral Units in England Including Pupil Movement (July 2026) 

Updates from the 2026 guidance are as follows:  

  • reflecting the Education (Educational Provision for Improving Behaviour) (Application to Academies and Pupil Referral Units and Minor Amendments) Regulations 2026 
  • providing further clarity on the existing exclusion framework and keeping pupils apart for safeguarding purposes  
  • minor clarifications in relation to the statutory review process for all users, which supports better consistency between governing boards, Independent Review Panels and parents. 

Schools should also have regard to other relevant DfE guidance covering behaviour, safeguarding, attendance, SEND, equality duties and pupil wellbeing. Links to supplementary guidance can be found in Annex B (Further Information) of the statutory guidance. These documents support schools in meeting their responsibilities to promote positive behaviour, identify and respond to pupils' needs, fulfil their statutory duties and reduce the need for suspension or permanent exclusion wherever possible. 

Fixed-Term Suspensions and Permanent Exclusions

The law does not allow for extending a suspension or ‘converting’ a suspension into a permanent exclusion. In exceptional cases, usually where further evidence has come to light, a further suspension may be issued to begin immediately after the first suspension ends; or a permanent exclusion may be issued to begin immediately after the end of the suspension. 

Local Authority Support 
To ensure schools comply with statutory guidance issued by the DfE, we recommend use of forms, templates and model letters developed by the Local Authority.

Suspensions/Exclusion should be used as a measure of  last resort after all other options have been investigated. 

Useful Documents (updated August 2026)  

Model Letters

Useful Documents

Statutory Exclusion Guidance

Universal Form - School's Request for Service Form Early Help.  Please note: A universal referral form should only be used if School have concerns about the welfare of a child and the family DO NOT CONSENT to school completing an Early Help Assessment. If school and the family wish to consider Early Help support, the Early Help Assessment template must be used and discussed with the local Early Help Consultant prior to submitting. 

Governor Summary (updated August 2026) 

Headteacher Summary (updated August 2026)

EX1FT - Suspension Notification Form - Fixed Term (updated August 2026)

EX1P - Exclusion Notification Form - Permanent (Reviewed August 2026)

DfE Suspension and Exclusion Codes from September 2026

Universal Form - School's Request for Service Form Early Help linked here 

Contacts

For support or for further information, please contact exclusions@northyorks.gov.uk