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Education and Inspections Bill

I sympathise with the amendment and the views of the two previous, eloquent speakers. For some parents, such an order would be not only punitive but potentially destructive and unhelpful. On the other hand, some parents would benefit immensely, as would their children, from having drawn to their attention the consequences of their children’s behaviour in the class and their relationships with the school. I put it to the Minister that exclusion does not come unannounced. There should be some sort of trail or record to indicate those cases where parents have already paid little attention to overtures from the schools. For them it may well be the moment for firm action, but it should be possible to do otherwise for parents and families who would clearly not benefit.