Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she is taking steps to monitor the number of children who (a) are neurodivergent and (b) have pre-existing mental health challenges and who are placed in isolation within schools.

The department does not collect data on the number of pupils who are placed in isolation within school, including those who are neurodivergent or have pre-existing mental health challenges.

In July 2022, the department published the updated Behaviour in Schools guidance, which is the primary source of advice for schools on developing and implementing a behaviour policy. This guidance provides clarity and support to schools on removing pupils from the classroom, including advice that schools should collect, monitor and analyse data about this intervention so that they can make data-based decisions about any additional support individual pupils may require and to identify whether the school’s removal policy is having a disproportionate impact on pupils sharing particular characteristics.

Any school behaviour policy must be lawful, proportionate and reasonable and comply with the school’s duties under the Equality Act 2010 and the Education and Inspections Act 2006. Account must be taken of a pupil’s age, any Special Educational Needs or Disability they may have, and any religious requirements affecting them.

Schools have a duty under the Equality Act 2010 to take such steps as is reasonable to avoid any substantial disadvantage to a disabled pupil caused by the school’s policies or practices.

Within these legal parameters, it is then for individual schools to develop their own policies.