Written question asked by Gordon Marsden (Labour) on Thursday, 9 July 2009, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 13 July 2009. It was answered by Lord Coaker (Labour) on Thursday, 16 July 2009 on behalf of the Department for Children, Schools and Families.

Special Educational Needs: Pupil Exclusions

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families when he next expects to revise his Department's guidance to schools on pupil exclusions; and what his policy is on holding a case review before children with a special educational need or disability is excluded.

Answer: Existing exclusions guidance already contains strong messages on special educational needs (SEN) exclusion issues. The existing version of this guidance, last revised in September 2008, states that schools should try every practicable means to maintain a pupil with SEN in school, seeking local authority and other professional advice as appropriate. It goes on to state that this might include seeking local authority and other professional advice at "School Action Plus", or where appropriate, asking a local authority to consider carrying out a statutory assessment.In addition, the guidance sets an expectation that, following a permanent exclusion, the head teacher should use the period between his or her initial decision and the meeting of the governing body to review the exclusion and to work with the local authority to see whether more support can be made available or whether the statement can be changed to name a new school. If either of these options is possible, the head teacher should normally withdraw the exclusion.We will also be reinforcing the focus of behaviour and attendance partnerships on a range of outcomes, including the need to reduce disproportionately high exclusions of pupils with SEN in a new guidance due to be published later this year.

Secondary information