Department
Schools & Education
Exclusions, SEN support, and being taken seriously at 15.
Overview
Schools run on policy documents, and policy documents are quotable. Most disputes end quickly once a parent or student quotes the school's own behaviour policy back at it. This department covers exclusions, special educational needs, and the difference between what a school prefers and what it must do.
Rights
- Written reasons for any suspension or permanent exclusion.
- The right to make representations to the governing board.
- Assessment of special educational needs where there is evidence of need.
- Reasonable adjustments for disability under the Equality Act 2010.
- Access to the school's complaints procedure and then the relevant authority.
When Things Go Wrong
- 'Informal' exclusions where a student is sent home with nothing in writing.
- Support in an EHC plan quietly not being delivered.
- Punishments applied to a disabled student for behaviour linked to their disability.
- Meetings held without notes, so nothing is ever agreed.
Step-by-Step
- 1Ask for the policy the decision was made under, in writing.
- 2Ask for the decision itself in writing, with reasons and dates.
- 3Write representations that quote the policy and the facts, not feelings.
- 4Request a governors' meeting within the stated timescale.
- 5Escalate to the local authority or the Department for Education route.
Templates
Learning
Stories
The exclusion that wasn't written down
A student was sent home 'to cool off' six times. No letters, no register marks, no appeal rights. One email asking for the written record of each occasion turned six invisible exclusions into a documented problem the school had to fix.
Evidence Checklist
- School behaviour and exclusion policies
- All letters and emails from the school
- Diary of incidents with times
- EHC plan or SEN support plan
- Any medical or educational psychology reports
Disclaimer
General information for England and Wales only. Not legal advice. Deadlines are strict and change — check the current position and get advice if the stakes are high. Full disclaimer.