Coram has responded to the school exclusion statistics for the autumn term of 2024/2025, published today by the Department for Education (DfE), which show a slight drop in permanent exclusions and suspensions from school in general, while suspension rates for children with special educational needs (SEN) rise.
The autumn term release shows 3,715 permanent exclusions in England, down from 4,168 in the same term the previous year. There were 335,671 suspensions over the course of the term, a drop from 346,279 the previous year.
Despite the slight overall drop, the sustained high levels of exclusions shows that the current approach to managing higher needs children in education is simply not working. The government’s own statistics show that children in care are more than three times more likely to be permanently excluded. For children not in care but subject to a child protection plan, that number soars to 13 times more likely. This is a manifest failure to do right by the most vulnerable children.
The suspension rate for children with an Education, Health and Care Plan has increased. We know, however, that the high levels of exclusions for pupils with SEN also understates the scale of the problem at hand, as children are often excluded before they can be referred for assessment of their needs. The delayed but upcoming schools white paper must address this growing disproportionality in exclusions for SEND children, or else reform to the school system will not benefit huge numbers of the children most in need of system reform.
We know from the work of the School Exclusions Hub at Coram Children’s Legal Centre that the published rates of exclusion are an underestimate, and that other processes are often mis-used to remove a child from the roll of a school without the appeal right that comes from a permanent exclusion.
We also know that full-time education can be a significant protective factor for children at risk of harm. Yet certain groups of children continue to be excluded from education at disproportionate rates, including Gypsy, Roma and Traveller pupils, children with special educational needs (SEN), boys, and children with Black/Caribbean ethnicity. Research shows that children permanently excluded from a secondary school are, more often than not, still not in full-time state-funded education three years on from their exclusion.
Dr Carol Homden, Coram CEO, said: “Whilst the number of suspensions and exclusions of children from school has fallen slightly, it is devastating to see the exclusion of the equivalent of three secondary schools of children in a single term with so many young lives on hold and at risk. Even to return to pre-pandemic levels and tackle the huge number of suspensions will take a concerted effort to address, with investment needed in the support in and beyond school and access to legal advice and support when needed to ensure that every child’s right to a suitable education is realised.”
Mital Raithatha, Head of Education and Senior Solicitor at Coram Children’s Legal Centre said: “Today’s school exclusion statistics are a stark reminder that thousands of children—disproportionately those from marginalised groups—continue to be pushed out of education without the safeguards or support they need. In our experience, this is also not the full picture of the reality for our young people: we continue to see the school exclusions guidance being misapplied unlawfully to avoid a permanent exclusion being recorded, masking the true scale of the problem.
“Behind every data point is a family forced to navigate complex and life-changing decisions, too often without access to any legal advice. These figures highlight the importance of publicly funded legal advice for families whose children face permanent exclusion as established by the landmark judgment against the legal aid agency (R (on the application of CWJ) v Director of Legal Aid Casework). Yet many families still find themselves unable to secure help at the very moment when the consequences for their child’s future are most severe. If we are to address the ongoing crisis in exclusions and the inequalities it exposes, we must ensure that children receive the support they require early on, that there is accountability and access to legal advice for every family facing exclusion.”
Olivuh Xavier, an exclusions ambassador in Coram Voices in Action, said: “I think these numbers show how student voices are not being heard, leading to the overall neglect on student wellbeing. There’s a lack of youth forums, feedback opportunities within schools, or community interventions to those who are struggling with schooling and might be facing exclusion. I think the government should care more about what schools are doing to be inclusive, specifically there should be better integrated programs put into place for neurodiverse and SEND students.”
Every year, Coram’s Child Law Advice Service provides free legal advice to hundreds of parents, children, and young people who are either at risk of exclusion or have already been excluded. Coram also provides the school exclusions hub, the UK’s largest online resource covering every aspect of school exclusions, to support young people throughout the process, and runs a school exclusions clinic, offering free legal representation to parents or carers of children and young people who have been permanently excluded from a school in London.
Our work on exclusion is guided by young people who have first-hand experience of this process, and is supported by Mission 44, a charitable foundation launched by Sir Lewis Hamilton, to build a fairer, more inclusive future.
For more information, advice and support, please visit https://schoolexclusionshub.org.uk/