Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to reduce (1) school attainment gaps, and (2) exclusion rates, in refugee and asylum-seeking pupils.
The government is committed to its mission to provide a world-class education for all children, irrespective of their backgrounds. The pupil premium provides schools with additional money to raise the attainment of disadvantaged pupils, with £2.5 billion being distributed in the current financial year. The government has also announced an additional £1 billion for a recovery premium over the next two academic years (2022/23 and 2023/24), which will help schools deliver evidence-based approaches to support the most disadvantaged pupils.
There is no right number of suspensions or permanent exclusions. The department supports headteachers in using suspension and permanent exclusions as a sanction where it is warranted. We are clear that permanent exclusion should only be used as a last resort, and this should not mean exclusion from education.