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Exclusion from school is one of the greatest challenges we face - Donald Dewar
27/04/1998
Scottish Secretary Donald Dewar today issued new guidance on excluding pupils from schools, setting national targets to reduce the levels of exclusion.
Mr Dewar said that the problem was one of the greatest challenges in the drive to raise standards in education and in tackling the problems of social exclusion.
The new guidance:
* outlines best practice
* clarifies the legal position for schools and local authorities
* emphasises the need for prevention
Speaking at the "Exclusions and Alternatives" conference in Edinburgh Mr Dear said:
"Tackling exclusion from school - both its causes and effects - is one of the greatest challenges we face in both our drive to raise standards and our agenda to address social exclusion.
"In an ideal world, of course, no children would be excluded from school. But we do not live in an ideal world, and there will be occasions when it is necessary to use the last resort of excluding a child from school - when all alternatives have failed - as a deterrent to misbehaviour - a safeguard for other pupils and staff. But it is the extreme sanction, and should be used sparingly.
"The national guidance on exclusions clarifies the legal position and outlines procedures to be followed when a child is excluded and outline good practice.
"It emphasises an inclusive approach. It emphasises prevention, but recognises that exclusion will have to be used on some occasions, and therefore clarifies procedures and regulations to be followed when this happens. It will ensure accurate recording and information on exclusion. Clarifying the roles of those involved will be particularly helpful.
"Many schools and authorities have strategies in place to minimise exclusion. There is a wide disparity in procedure and approach. We must address this. Our national objective is to minimise levels of exclusion.
"This objective will be achieved by schools and local authorities setting targets and strategies specifically to reduce the number of days lost through exclusion. The national guidance is critical to the achievement of that objective at school, authority and national level. We will be monitoring and reviewing progress closely."
BACKGROUND
1. The national guidance on exclusion from school, launched today, was issued for consultation last autumn and the final version reflects comments received. It follows on from research commissioned by the Department and carried out by Moray House Institute of Education. The research was led by Professor Pamela Munn, who was also speaking at the conference.
2. The Alternatives to Exclusion Grant Scheme offers funding of £3m to local authorities over 3 years to pilot innovative alternatives to exclusion. The range of projects being supported includes in and out of school support units serving a particular school or schools, programmes of personal and social development, enhanced staffing in schools and in support of schools, vocational schemes including work placements, behaviour support arrangements, outreach services into schools and multi-disciplinary approaches and joint assessment teams.
4. "Setting Targets - Raising Standards in Schools", launched last month by the Secretary of State and Brian Wilson MP, Minister for Education and Industry, sets out the Government's target setting programme for literacy, numeracy and attainment. It also states that there should be a national objective to minimise levels of non-attendance, within which authorities and schools would be expected to devise local targets and strategies. The Secretary of State today announced that there was a similar national objective to reduce levels of exclusion, within which schools and authorities would be expected to devise their own strategies and targets.
5. The conference "Exclusions and Alternatives" was organised by Moray House Institute of Education and held at the Carlton Highland Hotel in Edinburgh. The audience included education officers, social workers, educational psychologists, head teachers and others directly involved in developing and implementing exclusion policy.
News Release: 0836/98
April 27, 1998