Academic year 2016/17

Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England

Data guidance

Published 26 March 2020

Data files

All data files associated with this releases are listed below with guidance on their content. To download any of these files, please visit our data catalogue.

Duration of fixed exclusions

• Filename: exclusions_duration_of_fixed_exclusions.csv
• Geographic levels: National
• Time period: 2006/07 to 2016/17

Variable names and descriptions

Variable names and descriptions for this file are provided below:

Variable name	Variable description
duration_days_fixed_exclusions	Duration of fixed period exclusions - Filter by duration of exclusion
num_fixed_excl	Number of fixed period exclusions
school_type	School type - Filter by school type

Footnotes

1. Length of exclusion in days is derived from the number of sessions where one session equates to half a school day. Part days have been counted as one school day.
2. State-funded secondary schools include city technology colleges and all secondary academies, including all-through academies and free schools.
3. Special schools include maintained special schools, non-maintained special schools and special academies. Excludes general hospital schools.
4. x - 1 or 2 pupils, or a percentage based on 1 or 2.
5. State-funded primary schools include all primary academies, including free schools.

Exclusions by characteristic

• Filename: exclusions_by_characteristic.csv
• Geographic levels: National
• Time period: 2011/12 to 2016/17

Variable names and descriptions

Variable names and descriptions for this file are provided below:

Variable name	Variable description
characteristic	Characteristic - Filter by pupil characteristic
fixed_excl	Number of fixed period exclusions
fixed_excl_rate	Fixed period exclusion rate
headcount	Number of pupils
one_plus_fixed	Number of pupils with one or more fixed period exclusions
one_plus_fixed_rate	Percentage of pupils with one or more fixed period exclusions
perm_excl	Number of permanent exclusions
perm_excl_rate	Permanent exclusion rate
school_type	School type - Filter by school type

Footnotes

1. The number of permanent exclusions expressed as a percentage of the number of pupils in January each year.
2. SEN status is as recorded at the time of exclusion. For enrolments the SEN status at the time of the most recent exclusion is used.
3. Free school meal eligibility as at January each year.
4. For enrolments the national curriculum year of the most recent exclusion is used.
5. Ethnic group is at January each year.
6. State-funded secondary schools include city technology colleges and all secondary academies, including all-through academies and free schools.
7. Figures are presented for pupils with a Statement of SEN, Education, Health and Care plan or SEN support and recorded primary need. This excludes those with SEN support who are yet to be assessed for a type of need and those with school action provision. SEN status is as recorded at the time of exclusion. For enrolments the SEN status at the time of the most recent exclusion is used.
8. Special schools include maintained special schools, non-maintained special schools and special academies. Excludes general hospital schools.
9. Income Deprivation Affecting Children Index at Super Output Area level based on the location of the school. Includes all schools which returned information on exclusions.
10. The number of pupil enrolments receiving one or more fixed period exclusion expressed as a percentage of the number of pupils in January each year.
11. Education, Health and Care (EHC) plans were introduced from September 2014 as part of a range of SEND reforms.
12. The number of fixed period exclusions expressed as a percentage of the number of pupils in January each year.
13. Pupils who have been classified according to their ethnic group, excluding White British.
14. Includes pupils who are sole or dual main registrations. Includes boarding pupils.
15. x - 1 or 2 pupils, or a percentage based on 1 or 2.
16. Includes pupils whose ethnic information was not sought or was refused or could not be determined.
17. State-funded primary schools include all primary academies, including free schools.

Exclusions by geographic level

• Filename: exclusions_by_geographic_level.csv
• Geographic levels: Local authority; National; Regional
• Time period: 2006/07 to 2016/17

Variable names and descriptions

Variable names and descriptions for this file are provided below:

Variable name	Variable description
fixed_excl	Number of fixed period exclusions
fixed_excl_rate	Fixed period exclusion rate
headcount	Number of pupils
num_schools	Number of schools
one_plus_fixed	Number of pupils with one or more fixed period exclusions
one_plus_fixed_rate	Percentage of pupils with one or more fixed period exclusions
perm_excl	Number of permanent exclusions
perm_excl_rate	Permanent exclusion rate
school_type	School type - Filter by school type

Footnotes

1. The number of permanent exclusions expressed as a percentage of the number of pupils in January each year.
2. State-funded secondary schools include city technology colleges and all secondary academies, including all-through academies and free schools.
3. Special schools include maintained special schools, non-maintained special schools and special academies. Excludes general hospital schools.
4. The number of open schools as at January plus the number of schools which opened after January but reported exclusions.
5. The number of pupil enrolments receiving one or more fixed period exclusion expressed as a percentage of the number of pupils in January each year.
6. The number of fixed period exclusions expressed as a percentage of the number of pupils in January each year.
7. Includes pupils who are sole or dual main registrations. Includes boarding pupils.
8. x - 1 or 2 pupils, or a percentage based on 1 or 2.
9. State-funded primary schools include all primary academies, including free schools.

Exclusions by reason

• Filename: exclusions_by_reason.csv
• Geographic levels: Local authority; National; Regional
• Time period: 2006/07 to 2016/17

Variable names and descriptions

Variable names and descriptions for this file are provided below:

Variable name	Variable description
fixed_bullying	Bullying
fixed_damage	Damage
fixed_drug_alcohol	Drugs and alcohol
fixed_other	Other
fixed_persistent_disruptive	Persistent disruptive behaviour
fixed_physical_adult	Physical assault against an adult
fixed_physical_pupils	Physical assault against a pupil
fixed_racist_abuse	Racist abuse
fixed_sexual_misconduct	Sexual misconduct
fixed_theft	Theft
fixed_verbal_adult	Verbal abuse against an adult
fixed_verbal_pupil	Verbal abuse against a pupil
perm_bullying	Bullying
perm_damage	Damage
perm_drug_alcohol	Drugs and alcohol
perm_other	Other
perm_persistent_disruptive	Persistent disruptive behaviour
perm_physical_adult	Physical assault against an adult
perm_physical_pupils	Physical assault against a pupil
perm_racist_abuse	Racist abuse
perm_sexual_misconduct	Sexual misconduct
perm_theft	Theft
perm_verbal_adult	Verbal abuse against an adult
perm_verbal_pupil	Verbal abuse against a pupil
school_type	School type - Filter by school type

Footnotes

1. State-funded secondary schools include city technology colleges and all secondary academies, including all-through academies and free schools.
2. Special schools include maintained special schools, non-maintained special schools and special academies. Excludes general hospital schools.
3. x - 1 or 2 pupils, or a percentage based on 1 or 2.
4. State-funded primary schools include all primary academies, including free schools.

Number of fixed exclusions

• Filename: exclusions_number_of_fixed_exclusions.csv
• Geographic levels: National
• Time period: 2006/07 to 2016/17

Variable names and descriptions

Variable names and descriptions for this file are provided below:

Variable name	Variable description
headcount	Number of pupil enrolments
school_type	School type - Filter by school type
total_length_days_fixed_exclusions	Total number of days missed due to fixed period exclusions - Filter by number of days missed due to exclusion

Footnotes

1. State-funded secondary schools include city technology colleges and all secondary academies, including all-through academies and free schools.
2. Special schools include maintained special schools, non-maintained special schools and special academies. Excludes general hospital schools.
3. x - 1 or 2 pupils, or a percentage based on 1 or 2.
4. State-funded primary schools include all primary academies, including free schools.

Total days missed due to fixed period exclusions

• Filename: exclusions_total_days_missed_fixed_exclusions.csv
• Geographic levels: National
• Time period: 2006/07 to 2016/17

Variable names and descriptions

Variable names and descriptions for this file are provided below:

Variable name	Variable description
headcount	Number of pupil enrolments
school_type	School type - Filter by school type
total_length_days_fixed_exclusions	Total number of days missed due to fixed period exclusions - Filter by number of days missed due to exclusion

Footnotes

1. State-funded secondary schools include city technology colleges and all secondary academies, including all-through academies and free schools.
2. Special schools include maintained special schools, non-maintained special schools and special academies. Excludes general hospital schools.
3. x - 1 or 2 pupils, or a percentage based on 1 or 2.
4. State-funded primary schools include all primary academies, including free schools.