Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will take steps to amend school exclusion guidance issued to head teachers and governing bodies to identify which person or body is responsible for ensuring compliance with exclusion legislation.

Statutory guidance is clear on the responsibilities for ensuring exclusions are issued in line with them law and statutory guidance.

Only the head teacher of a school can make the decision to exclude a pupil and any decision must comply with statutory guidance.

There is a process, set out in the statutory guidance, to ensure that decisions are lawful, reasonable and fair. All decisions to exclude can be (and in the case of longer or permanent exclusions, must be) reviewed by the schools’ governing board. For permanent exclusions, parents can also request a review of the decision by an independent review panel, who can direct or recommend that the governing board reconsider their decision.