Hampton Wick

Infant & Nursery School

Exclusions Policy

This policy was adopted/updated: January 2017

This policy will be reviewed: As required or Sept 2018

Statutory policy: No

Source: School

“AtHampton Wick Infant and Nursery School,wehavedueregardforourdutiesundertheEqualityAct2010.

This‘ExclusionsPolicy’reflectsourdutiesto:eliminatediscrimination,advanceequalityof opportunityandfostergoodrelations.”

Introduction

As a school we promote the positive in terms of behavior expectations. Pupils at our school understand that excellent behavior is expected, that the school philosophies of Kind Words and Kind Actions, Learn and Let Others Learn, I Cn You Can We Can and School Codes are followed and that good choices are made. These are part of our every day languageand expectations. In the event of pupils contravening our Positive Behaviour Management Policy, sanctions will be implementedabout which parents/carers and pupils will have been made aware through this policy. Consequences will be made clear. Exclusion will be held as a last resort.

It is the policy of Hampton Wick Infant and Nursery School to deal withbehavioural issues in an active, positive way, employing a wide range of strategies, including those specifically designed to avoid such issues reaching the point of exclusion. (Please refer to our Promoting Positive Behaviour Policy).

Purpose of this policy

This policy is designed to briefly outline the school’s approach to exclusions within the statutory framework as defined in the The School Discipline (Pupil Exclusions and Reviews) (England) Regulations 2012. It outlines only where the school applies its own additional guidance and policies, which complement and reinforce the statutory guidance, for purposes of clarity in the day-to-day operation of the school.

Principles

  1. Exclusion is a sanction used by the school only in cases deemed as serious breaches of the Promoting Positive Behaviour Policy. A pupil may be at risk of exclusion from our school for:

a)Verbal or physical assault of a pupil or adult;

b)Persistent and repetitive disruption of lessons and other pupils’ learning;

c)Extrememisbehaviour,whichisdeemedoutsidetheremitofthenormalrangeof sanctions.

  1. A‘FixedTermExclusion’fromour schoolcanonlybeauthorisedbytheHeadteacheror inherabsence,theDeputyHeadteacher/Assistant Headteachersactingonher behalf. If none are available to authorise the exclusion a decision should be deferred until the opportunity for authorisation is available.
  1. Inthecaseof‘PermanentExclusion’thiscanonlybeauthorisedbytheHeadteacher andmustonlybedoneafterconsultingtheChairofGovernorsoftheintentiontoimpose this sanction, although the final decision rests with the Headteacher of the school as part of the ‘day to day’ management of the school.
  1. At Hampton Wick Infant and Nursery School exclusioniswould be exceptionalas we consistently promote a positive atmosphereofmutualrespectandpositive behaviour choices. Inthe unusual occurrence ofan exclusion taking place, we will monitor to ensure that no group of pupils are unfairlydisadvantagedthroughthe use of exclusion andthatanyunderlyingneedsofindividuals are being investigated and where able to, are met.

Notification of an Exclusion

  1. Parent/carers will be notified as soon as possible of the decision to exclude a pupil and the reason for the exclusion. This will be done on the day of the exclusion being authorised byeitherdirectphonecontactoraface-to-facemeeting.Awrittenconfirmationof the reason(s) for the exclusion will be sent to parents the same day.
  1. In the case of a‘Permanent Exclusion’ parents/carers will be notified by the Headteacher in a face-to-face meeting.
  1. Apupilwhohasbeenexcludedwillhavethereasonforhis/herexclusionexplainedto them by a member of staff so that they understand what has happened and why.
  1. Theschoolwillalsoworktoputinplaceaprogrammeforthepupilonhis/herreturn including input from school staff, parents if appropriate, and any other appropriate bodies e.g. School Learning Mentor, Educational Welfare Service or the Local Authority. If the matter needs to be referred to anotheragencyi.e.a child protection issue, the school will continue to monitor the situation and work closelywiththatagency.
  1. Itishopedthatinmostcasesfollowingexclusion,thepupil will be able to return to school and that further input will promote in him/her a more positive attitude and a subsequent improvement in behaviour.
  1. TheChairofGovernors,LAInclusionOfficerandrelevant school staff will be notified of all Fixed Term Exclusions the same day as the child’s parents. They will also receive a copy of the exclusion letter, clearly outlining the reasons for exclusion.

Pupils Returning from a Fixed Term Exclusion

Allpupilsreturningfroma‘FixedTermExclusion’arerequiredtoattendareintegrationmeeting, accompanied by a parent/carer. This meeting will seek to establish practical ways in which behaviour choices are modified to acceptable standards in partnership between pupil, parent and school and further exclusion can be avoided

Permanent Exclusions

Asaschoolwewillonlypermanentlyexcludeachildasalastresort,aftersupporting the pupil to improve their behaviour through other means. However, thereareexceptional circumstance whereby theHeadteachermaydecidetopermanentlyexcludeapupilbecause of ongoing issues or even for a 'one-off'’ incident.

Parents/carers are made aware that if their child has been permanently excluded:

•theschool'sBoardofGovernorsisrequiredtoreviewtheHeadteacher'sdecision and they may meet with her to explain their views on the exclusion

•if the Board of Governors confirms the exclusion, parents/carers can appeal to an

•independent appeal panel organised bythe Local Authority

•the school must explain in a letter how to lodge an appeal

•the Local Authority must provide full-time education from the sixth day of a

permanent exclusion.

Appeals

Allcorrespondenceregardinganexclusionfromtheschoolwillinformparents/carersoftheirightto appealto Board ofGovernorsagainstthedecisiontoexclude.Thisprocedureis clearlysetoutinthestatutoryguidance.Thepersonwhoshouldbecontactedtoinitiate an appeal is the Clerk to the Governors.

Relationship to other school policies

The Exclusion Policy should be read in tandem with the school’s ‘Promoting Positive

Behaviour Policy’ as well as other relevant school policies, particularly the SEND Report and the Equalities Plan. It also has a close inter-relationship with the ‘Attendance Policy’.

Monitoring and Review

  1. The impact of this policy will be reviewed by the Governors’ Pay and Personnel

Committee.

  1. The Headteacher will provide the Committee with monitoring reports as required to evaluate the effectiveness of the policy and procedures.
  1. The policy and procedures will be reviewed and amended in the light of such evaluation and in consultation with representatives of all key stakeholders.

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