Asked by: Baroness Morris of Yardley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to implement the recommendation in the Timpson review of school exclusion to establish "a practice fund of sufficient value, longevity and reach".
Answered by Lord Agnew of Oulton
In its response to Edward Timpson’s review of school exclusion, the government set out its intention to establish a practice programme to build on the excellent practice identified by Edward Timpson.
This programme will embed effective partnership working between local authorities, schools, alternative provision, and other partners to better equip schools to intervene early for children at risk of exclusion and to ensure that the most effective provision is put in place for those who are excluded.
Asked by: Baroness Morris of Yardley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that sector experts are regularly consulted on the implementation of the recommendations of the Timpson review of school exclusion.
Answered by Lord Agnew of Oulton
The department will take a collaborative and consultative approach in delivering the recommendations of Edward Timpson’s review.
Over the summer, we will work with education leaders to design a consultation on how to reform school accountability for children who are excluded, and how we can enable schools to fulfil new accountabilities through reform to commissioning and funding arrangements for alternative provision. This consultation will launch in the autumn.
The department will also consult widely in responding to several of Edward Timpson’s other recommendations, including the revision of guidance relating to behaviour and exclusions, on improvements to the national data on exclusion, and on possible changes to the arrangements for fixed term exclusion.
Asked by: Louise Haigh (Labour - Sheffield, Heeley)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many (a) excluded children and (b) parents of excluded children Edward Timpson and his review team met with as part of the exclusion review by (i) ethnicity and (ii) gender.
Answered by Nick Gibb
The Timpson review was commissioned to explore exclusions practice and why children with some characteristics, such as children from particular ethnic groups, are more likely to be excluded from school. No data is held on the characteristics of the individuals who met with the review team, but understanding the variation in exclusion rates between pupil groups was a consideration across the review’s evidence gathering and engagement, and the report is informed by extensive engagement with all those involved in exclusion, including children who had been excluded and their parents.
The review heard from excluded children and parents during the call for evidence as well as during fieldwork visits. This included during visits to schools as well as meetings arranged specifically to hear from parent and carer groups. Locations for visits were selected based on matching areas with similar pupil populations, including the proportion who were from ethnic minority backgrounds. The review is also informed by independent research undertaken by Coram on the experience of children, including children who had been excluded, and their parents. Information on the gender and ethnicity of children whose parents spoke to Coram is published as part of their report. Information on the gender of children who spoke directly to Coram is also provided. Coram’s research is available here: https://www.coram.org.uk/sites/default/files/resource_files/School%20exclusions_full%20report_final_0.pdf.
Asked by: Jim Cunningham (Labour - Coventry South)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the Ofsted report entitled, Exploring the issue of off-rolling published on 10 May 2019, what steps he is taking to reduce the number of pupils illegitimately removed from schools.
Answered by Nick Gibb
The Department is clear that off-rolling, as defined by Ofsted, is unacceptable, and whilst the Department believes this practice is relatively rare, the Government is committed to continue working with Ofsted to tackle the practice of off-rolling.
Pupils leave school rolls for many reasons, including permanent exclusion, moving to another school, or changes of circumstances (such as when a pupil moves to a new area). All schools must notify the local authority when a pupil’s name is to be deleted from the admission register. There is no legal definition of ‘off-rolling’. However, the law is clear that a pupil’s name can only be deleted from the admission register on the grounds prescribed in regulation 8 of the Education (Pupil Registration) (England) Regulations 2006, as amended.
Following media coverage of off-rolling in 2017, the Department wrote to all secondary schools, reminding them of the rules surrounding exclusion.
Ofsted already considers records of children taken off roll and has also recently consulted on proposals that will see a strengthened focus on this issue. From September 2019 where inspectors find off-rolling, this will always be addressed in the inspection report, and where appropriate will lead to a school’s leadership being judged inadequate.
In March 2018, the Government launched an externally-led review of exclusions practice, led by Edward Timpson CBE. The review explored how head teachers use exclusion, and why pupils with particular characteristics are more likely to be excluded from school. It also considered the differences in exclusion rates across primary and secondary schools in England.
The Timpson Review and the Government’s response were published on 7 May. The review makes 30 recommendations and highlights variation in exclusions practice across different schools, local authorities and certain groups of children. The Government has accepted all 30 recommendations in principle, and the Department has committed to working with education leaders over the summer to design a consultation on making schools accountable for the outcomes for permanently excluded children, to be launched in the autumn. As part of this, the Department will seek views on how to mitigate the potential unintended consequences Edward Timpson has identified in his review, including the practice of off-rolling.
Asked by: Harriet Harman (Labour - Camberwell and Peckham)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many and what proportion of people convicted of a crime and sentenced to time in prison in each of the last five years had been excluded from their primary school.
Answered by Robert Buckland
This data is held at individual child level and could be provided only at a disproportionate cost. Aggregated data that is available about children sentenced to youth custody who have previously been excluded from school can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/understanding-the-educational-background-of-young-offenders-full-report
In his review of school exclusions published on 7 May 2019, Edward Timpson found that “exclusion is a marker for being at higher risk of becoming a victim or perpetrator of crime”, but that “it would be wrong to suggest that we have evidence that exclusion of any kind causes crime or that preventing the use of exclusion would, in itself, prevent crime.” The review and the government’s response can be found at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/school-exclusions-review-call-for-evidence
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he is taking to reduce disruptive behaviour in the classroom.
Answered by Nick Gibb
All schools are required by the law to develop and publish a behaviour policy. The Department for Education produces guidance for head teachers and school staff on developing school behaviour policy and explains the powers members of staff have to maintain discipline in the classroom. The full guidance can be viewed at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/488034/Behaviour_and_Discipline_in_Schools_-_A_guide_for_headteachers_and_School_Staff.pdf.
In 2016, the Government commissioned behaviour expert Tom Bennett to conduct an independent review on behaviour management in schools. His report ‘Creating a culture’, published in 2017, focused on leadership, culture and systems used to tackle disruptive pupil behaviour, and provides practical advice for head teachers about creating a school culture that prevents low level disruption, maintains good discipline and promotes pupils’ education, focus and wellbeing. The full report can be viewed at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/602487/Tom_Bennett_Independent_Review_of_Behaviour_in_Schools.pdf.
Building on this review the Department announced a £10 million investment to support schools and teachers to share best practice and knowledge on behaviour management and classroom management. As part of this Tom Bennett, has been appointed our lead Behaviour Adviser, supporting the Department to set up and run these new behaviour support networks.
Most recently, as part of our response to the Timpson review of school exclusion, published on 7 May 2019, the Department committed to revising guidance which offers clearer, more consistent guidance on managing behaviour, the use of in-school units and the sorts of circumstances where it may appropriate to use exclusion. A copy of the review and the Government response can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/school-exclusions-review-call-for-evidence.
Asked by: Lord Storey (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they have taken against those schools who are illegally off-rolling their pupils.
Answered by Lord Agnew of Oulton
The department is clear that off-rolling is unacceptable, and whilst the department believes this practice is relatively rare, the government is committed to continue working with Ofsted to define and tackle the practice of off-rolling.
Pupils leave school rolls for many reasons including: permanent exclusion, moving to another school, or changes of circumstances (such as when a pupil moves to a new area). All schools must notify the local authority when a pupil’s name is to be deleted from the admission register. There is no legal definition of ‘off-rolling’. However, the law is clear that a pupil’s name can only be deleted from the admission register on the grounds prescribed in regulation 8 of the Education (Pupil Registration) (England) Regulations 2006, as amended.
Following media coverage of off-rolling in 2017, the department wrote to all secondary schools, reminding them of the rules surrounding exclusion.
Ofsted already considers records of children taken off roll and has also recently consulted on proposals that will see a strengthened focus on this issue. It has proposed that where inspectors find off-rolling, this will always be addressed in the inspection report, and where appropriate will lead to a school’s leadership being judged inadequate. Ofsted will publish the outcome of its consultation soon.
In March 2018, the government launched an externally-led review of exclusions practice, led by Edward Timpson CBE. The review explored how head teachers use exclusion, and why pupils with particular characteristics are more likely to be excluded from school. It has also considered the differences in exclusion rates across primary and secondary schools in England.
The Timpson review and the government’s response were published on 7 May. The review makes 30 recommendations and highlights variation in exclusions practice across different schools, local authorities and certain groups of children. The government agrees with all 30 recommendation in principle, and the department has committed to working with education leaders over the summer to design a consultation on making schools accountable for the outcomes for permanently excluded children, to be launched in the autumn. Among other things, the department will seek views on how to mitigate the potential unintended consequences Edward Timpson has identified in his review, including how to tackle the practice of off-rolling.
Asked by: Jim Cunningham (Labour - Coventry South)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment his Department has made of trends in the level of school exclusions for each ethnic group.
Answered by Nick Gibb
The rate of exclusion varies by pupil ethnicity, with pupils of some ethnic groups more likely to be excluded and others less.[1]
Last March, the Government commissioned Edward Timpson to explore how head teachers use exclusion and why some groups of pupils are more likely to be excluded than others.
New analysis undertaken for the Timpson Review shows that some ethnic groups are more likely to be excluded after controlling for other observable characteristics. For example, after accounting for other factors, Black Caribbean children are around 1.7 times more likely to be permanently excluded compared to White British children, while Mixed White and Black Caribbean children are around 1.6 times more likely, and Indian and Bangladeshi pupils are around half as likely.
Equally, children in some ethnic groups do not appear to be permanently excluded at a different rate from White British pupils, such as Black African children.
The Timpson review, the analysis technical note, and the Government’s response can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/school-exclusions-review-call-for-evidence.
[1] https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/permanent-and-fixed-period-exclusions-in-england-2016-to-2017. National tables, table 8.
Asked by: Angela Rayner (Labour - Ashton-under-Lyne)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to his oral statement of 7 May 2019 on the Timpson Review of school exclusions, Official Report column 479, what steps he plans to take to reduce off-rolling before the start of the next school year.
Answered by Nick Gibb
The Department is clear that off-rolling is unacceptable, and while it believes this practice is relatively rare, the Government is committed to continue to work with Ofsted to define and tackle the practice of off-rolling.
Ofsted already considers records of children taken off roll and has recently consulted on proposals that will see a strengthened focus on this issue. It has proposed that where inspectors find off-rolling, this will always be addressed in the inspection report, and where appropriate will lead to a school’s leadership being judged inadequate. Ofsted will publish the outcome of its consultation soon.
In response to Edward Timpson’s review of school exclusion, the Department has committed to working with education leaders over the summer to design a consultation on making schools accountable for the outcomes for permanently excluded children, to be launched in the autumn. Among other things, the Department will seek views on how to mitigate the potential unintended consequences Edward Timpson has identified in his review, including how to tackle the practice of off-rolling.
Asked by: Angela Rayner (Labour - Ashton-under-Lyne)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to his Statement of 7 May 2019 on the Timpson review of school exclusions, if it is his policy to make schools accountable for pupils who leave their rolls only through permanent exclusions.
Answered by Nick Gibb
As noted in the Government response to Edward Timpson’s review of school exclusion, the Government will make schools accountable for the outcomes of permanently excluded children. Over the summer, the Department will work with education leaders to design a consultation, to be launched in the autumn, on how to deliver these reforms in practice. Among other things, the Department will seek views on how to mitigate the potential unintended consequences Edward Timpson has identified in his review, including how to tackle the practice of ‘off-rolling’.
Ofsted already considers records of children taken off roll and has recently consulted on proposals that will see a strengthened focus on this issue, and has proposed that where inspectors find off-rolling, this will always be addressed in the inspection report, and where appropriate will lead to a school’s leadership being judged inadequate. Ofsted will publish the outcome of its consultation soon.
As in the Education (Pupil Registration) (England) regulations 2006 as amended, state schools must notify the local authority when a pupil’s name is to be deleted from the admission register as soon as the ground for deletion under regulation 8 in relation to that pupil is established. The Department will provide guidance on the use of ‘managed moves’, as recommended by Edward Timpson.
The Government will also establish a practice programme that embeds effective partnership working between local authorities, schools, alternative provision and other partners to better equip schools to intervene early for children at risk of exclusion and to ensure that the most effective provision is put in place for those who are excluded. As a large proportion of schools are academies, the programme will support partnership working between local authorities and academies.