Notify relevant parties of suspensions (fixed-term exclusions) and permanent exclusions

To ensure that a child receives the correct support and protection during a suspension or permanent exclusion, it is important that those responsible for their care are promptly informed when exclusions occur or there is a risk of them occurring.

Notify parents without delay

Whenever a headteacher suspends or permanently excludes a pupil they must, without delay, notify parents of the period of the suspension or permanent exclusion and the reason(s) for it.

Notification should be in person or by telephone in the first instance as this will allow parents to ask any initial questions or raise concerns directly with the headteacher, although attempts to hold such a conversation must not delay written notification.

Without delay, after the decision to suspend/permanently exclude, provide parents with the following information in writing:

• the reason(s) for the suspension or permanent exclusion,
• the period of a suspension or, for a permanent exclusion, the fact that it is permanent,
• parents’ right to make representations about the suspension or permanent exclusion to the governing board and how the pupil may be involved in this (if appropriate),
• parents’ right to make a request to hold the meeting via the use of remote access and how and to whom to make this request,
• how any representations should be made; and
• where there is a legal requirement for the governing board to consider the suspension or permanent exclusion, that parents have a right to attend the meeting, to be represented at that meeting (at their own expense) and to bring a friend.

Template letters

Ealing Exclusions Team provides template letters for suspensions and permanent exclusions

The letters are regularly updated in line with DfE guidance so it is best to get the letter from EGfL each time

Notifying the Exclusions Team

A copy of the suspension/permanent exclusion letter must be sent immediately to: exclusionsteam@ealing.gov.uk along with the completed suspension/permanent exclusion notification form

If the pupil is not an Ealing resident, the pupil’s home Local Authority must also be notified.

Where the pupil has an allocated social worker and/or is a Child Looked After

Whenever a headteacher suspends or permanently excludes a pupil they must also notify the allocated social worker, if the pupil has one, and the CLA Virtual School Head Teacher (VSH) if the pupil is a CLA.

Both the social worker and/or VSH, must be informed when a governors review meeting is taking place. The social worker and/or the VSH can attend the meeting, should they wish to do so.

Where the pupil has an EHC Plan

The relevant EHC Co-ordinator should also be notified.

Unlawful suspensions

Any time a pupil is sent home due to disciplinary reasons it should always be recorded as a suspension.

Sending a pupil home ‘to cool off’ is unlawful when it does not follow the formal suspension process and regardless of whether it occurs with the agreement of parents.