Asked by: Duncan-Glancy, Pam (Scottish Labour - Glasgow)
Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it next plans to review its guidance on school exclusions.
Answered by Gilruth, Jenny - Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills
We published guidance in June 2017 - ‘Included, Engaged and Involved – Part 2 – preventing and managing school exclusions’ - for teachers. The guidance gives a stronger focus on supporting positive behaviour and approaches that can be used to prevent the need for exclusion.
The series of summits I held with a wide range of stakeholders on behaviour in schools concluded in November. The summit process culminated in the publication of the Behaviour in Scottish Schools Research (BISSR), which provides the accurate national picture in relation to behaviour in Scotland’s schools.
In my statement to Parliament on 29 November, I confirmed that a multi-year plan is in development to tackle instances of challenging behaviour, working with local authorities, trade unions and others.
We are currently working with the Scottish Advisory Group on Relationships and Behaviour in Schools to establish what actions are required to respond to the findings of the summit process and BISSR. The national action plan will be published as soon as possible.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an estimate of how many children suspended from schools (a) have mental health issues and (b) are neurodivergent.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
The department does not hold the data on what proportion of children suspended from school have mental health issues and/or are neurodivergent, which means this cannot be estimated. The department does, however, hold and publish data on the characteristics of pupils suspended from schools in England, including suspensions for pupils with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) where categories of need will include those such as social, emotional and mental health needs and autistic spectrum disorder. The most recent data available is for the 2021/22 academic year and is available at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/permanent-and-fixed-period-exclusions-in-england/2021-22-summer-term.
Creating school cultures with high expectations of behaviour is a priority for the government.
The department has published updated guidance on Behaviour in Schools, Mental Health and Behaviour in Schools, and Suspension and Permanent Exclusion statutory guidance (Exclusion guidance), in response to the recommendation made by the Timpson Review of School Exclusion. These documents provide further clarity and support for head teachers on how to manage behaviour well for all pupils in the school community. The documents are available at the following links:
The updated Exclusion guidance is clear that head teachers should consider any underlying causes of misbehaviour before issuing an exclusion, including a pupil’s SEND or mental health related issues. The department’s guidance, 'Understanding your data: a guide for school governors and academy trustees’ also makes clear governing boards should carefully consider the level and characteristics of pupils who are leaving the school and deploy maximum challenge to the school on any permanent exclusions to ensure it is only used as a last resort. The guidance is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/understanding-your-data-a-guide-for-school-governors-and-academy-trustees/understanding-your-data-a-guide-for-school-governors-and-academy-trustees.
The department supports head teachers in using suspension and permanent exclusion as a sanction where warranted as part of creating calm, safe, and supportive environments where pupils and staff can work in safety and are respected.
Asked by: Tobias Ellwood (Conservative - Bournemouth East)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to (a) promote inclusivity in schools, (b) assist (i) schools and (ii) teachers to provide support for children with special educational needs and disabilities and (c) reduce exclusions of such children.
Answered by David Johnston - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and Alternative Provision (AP) Improvement Plan set out a vision for an inclusive system categorised by high-quality mainstream provision where children and young people have their needs identified early and can access prompt, evidence-based, targeted support. Alongside this, the department will improve access to timely, high-quality specialist provision, where this is appropriate for the child or young person.
High-quality teaching is central to ensuring that pupils with SEND are given the best possible opportunity to achieve in their education. To support all teachers, the department is implementing teacher training reforms which begins with initial teacher training and continues into early career teaching, through to middle and senior leadership. These reforms are designed to ensure teachers have the skills to support all pupils to succeed, including those with SEND.
Reaching over 70% of schools and further education colleges, the Universal Services programme will help the school and further education workforce to identify and meet the needs of children and young people with SEND, earlier and more effectively.
The department knows that if needs and behaviours that present a barrier to learning were addressed earlier, more children could be supported to thrive in their mainstream school. That is why the department’s reforms will see AP settings working closely in partnership with mainstream schools to provide high-quality targeted support and one-to-one interventions. This will build capacity in mainstream schools to identify and support needs early, reducing the numbers of preventable exclusions and expensive long-term placements, as well as lead to improvements in children’s wellbeing and outcomes.
Good behaviour in schools is essential to ensure that all pupils can benefit from the opportunities provided by education. The government supports head teachers in using suspension and permanent exclusion as a sanction where warranted as part of creating calm, safe and supportive environments where both pupils and staff can work in safety and are respected.
The government agrees with the Timpson Review of school exclusion conclusion that there is no ‘right’ number of exclusions, but the department is clear that permanent exclusion should only be used as and when absolutely necessary, as a last resort and this should not mean exclusion from education.
All decisions to exclude a pupil must be lawful, reasonable, and fair. The Behaviour in Schools guidance and the updated statutory Suspension and Permanent Exclusion guidance (2023) sets out that, when considering excluding a pupil, schools should consider any contributing factors that are identified after an incident of misbehaviour has occurred, which could include where the pupil has Special Educational Needs. Initial intervention measures should include an assessment of whether appropriate provision is in place to support any SEND that a pupil may have.
Mentions:
1: Carlaw, Jackson (Con - Eastwood) consistent and transparent reporting mechanism for incidents that affect the health of pupils in schools; to review - Speech Link
2: Carlaw, Jackson (Con - Eastwood) The petition was prompted by experience of a pedestrian crossing on a busy road outside a primary school - Speech Link
Mentions:
1: Stevenson, Collette (SNP - East Kilbride) more than 20 recognised reading schools, including the gold-accredited St Andrew’s and St Bride’s high school - Speech Link
2: Stewart, Kevin (SNP - Aberdeen Central) To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to review the operations of the Parole Board for Scotland - Speech Link
3: Whitfield, Martin (Lab - South Scotland) among social workers in one local authority and concerns have been expressed about restraint, informal school - Speech Link
4: Don, Natalie (SNP - Renfrewshire North and West) of virtual headteachers across Scotland, which is a model that is showing real progress in reducing exclusions - Speech Link
Apr. 25 2024
Source Page: Evaluation of virtual school heads (VSHs)Found: Evaluation of virtual school heads (VSHs)
Asked by: Duncan-Glancy, Pam (Scottish Labour - Glasgow)
Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to monitor whether local authorities and schools review their policies on relationships and behaviour, and what action it will take to encourage them to do so.
Answered by Gilruth, Jenny - Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills
Last month concluded a series of summits I held with a wide range of stakeholders on behaviour in schools. The Behaviour in Scottish Schools Research was also published and considered as part of the final summit, which set out that while the majority of pupils are well behaved there has been an increase in disruptive behaviours.
I was clear in my statement to Parliament on 29 November that I encourage local authorities and schools to consider their policies in the light of the findings of BISSR.
To support local authorities and schools, we published guidance in June 2017 - ‘ Included, Engaged and Involved – Part 2 – preventing and managing school exclusions’ . This guidance gives a stronger focus on supporting positive behaviour and approaches that can be used to prevent the need for exclusion. The guidance sets out an expectation that education authorities and schools will use the guidance to revise and review existing policies and procedures on exclusion, taking account of local circumstances and involving all partners in the development of the new policy.
Education Scotland has also published a resource to support schools or local authorities who are refreshing or reviewing their relationships and behaviour policies. This guidance on developing a local relationships and behaviour policy is available at Guidance for developing a local relationships and behaviour policy (education.gov.scot) .
Finally, we are currently working with the Scottish Advisory Group for Relationships and Behaviour in Schools to develop a national action plan on relationships and behaviour which we expect to be published early in the new year. We will update parliament on the action plan in due course.
Mentions:
1: Lord Roborough (Con - Excepted Hereditary) The Lammy Review, published in 2017, found no issues with the outcomes of CPS charging decisions. - Speech Link
2: Lord Ponsonby of Shulbrede (Lab - Life peer) My Lords, the Lammy Review was very clear. - Speech Link
3: Lord Blunkett (Lab - Life peer) criminal justice system, would it not be wise to cross-reference with research that has been undertaken on school - Speech Link
Mentions:
1: Yousaf, Humza (SNP - Glasgow Pollok) exclusions had two parts to it. - Speech Link
2: Lennon, Monica (Lab - Central Scotland) information investigation uncovered that care-experienced children have lost more than 1.3 million school - Speech Link
3: Yousaf, Humza (SNP - Glasgow Pollok) A whole raft of work has been going on to reduce school exclusions to the absolute minimum where we can - Speech Link
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will request Ofsted to undertake an investigation into (a) the adequacy of (i) disciplinary and (ii) other policies at South Bank Multi Academy Trust and (b) the potential impact of those policies on school attendance rates.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
Ofsted plays a vital role by providing independent judgement on the educational performance of each school within a trust through its school inspection programme. The department, acting through the Regional Directors, will act wherever an academy is judged ‘Inadequate’ by Ofsted. As part of school level inspections, inspectors consider how leaders and other staff create a safe, calm, orderly and positive environment in the school and the impact this has on the behaviour and attitudes of pupils. Inspectors will also expect schools to do all they reasonably can to achieve the highest possible attendance.
Of the six academies in South Bank Multi-Academy Trust (MAT), five have been rated Good or Outstanding since the autumn term of 2022. Under current leadership, South Bank MAT saw success in their sponsorship of the former Ofsted ‘Inadequate’ School, York High School, which was rated ‘Good’ in all categories. For York High School, the published report states “Expectations are clear. Pupils know the standards for behaviour and attitudes when they arrive at school in Year 7. Inspectors visited classroom where positive attitudes to learning were common. Staff and pupils enjoy the calm atmosphere in lessons. In the few instances where low-level disruption does occur, staff use the school’s approach to positive behaviour effectively”. Five months ago, Carr Junior School was also inspected and the published Ofsted report states that “Behaviour around school is calm and purposeful… the school have established a positive culture of behaviour”.
The appropriate use of suspensions and exclusions is an element of South Bank MAT’s approach to improving behaviour, and it remains a key focus for the trust to examine and review attendance patterns. The Yorkshire and the Humber Regional Team will continue to work closely with South Bank MAT, as they do with all of their academy trusts, to understand the impact.
School attendance is a top priority for the government. The evidence is clear that being in school is vitally important for children’s attainment, mental wellbeing, safety and long-term development. Attendance is everyone’s business. The department has set out stronger expectations of the system to work together to support those at risk of being persistently absent.
The Yorkshire and the Humber Regional Team are in regular contact with South Bank MAT, and the Regional Director for Yorkshire and the Humber, Alison Wilson, visited South Bank MAT on 21 September 2023. Currently the Regional Director, is satisfied with the performance of the academies within South Bank MAT, and content that there is a culture of improvement to drive up standards and engagement of pupils. The Regional Director is also satisfied that trust policies (including the trust’s behaviour policy) are up-to-date and compliant with departmental guidance. As such, Ofsted will not be commissioned to further investigate South Bank MAT.
The department understands that accountability of MATs, including attendance, behaviour and support for pupils with special educational needs is a key concern within the City of York. All schools, including academies, are under a duty to co-operate with the local authority to improve children’s wellbeing. The department expects local authorities and academies to work collaboratively together in relation to the wellbeing of children and particularly children who are disadvantaged, vulnerable or at risk.