Academic year 2023/24

Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England

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Introduction

This publication presents statistics on suspensions and permanent exclusions across state-funded schools.

The publication includes data for academic year 2023/24 on:

  • reasons schools report for suspending and permanently excluding pupils
  • suspensions and permanent exclusions by pupil characteristics
  • permanent exclusion independent review panels

The data has been collected in the school census. Data for earlier years is also included.


Headline facts and figures - 2023/24

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Suspensions

Suspensions, previously known as 'fixed period exclusions', refer to when a pupil is excluded from a school for a set period of time. A suspension can involve a part of the school day and it does not have to be for a continuous period. A pupil may be suspended for one or more periods up to a maximum of 45 school days in a single academic year. This total includes suspensions from previous schools covered by the exclusion legislation. 

The suspension rate is calculated as the total number of suspensions, divided by the total number of pupils (x100).

The number and rate of suspensions have increased

The number of suspensions has increased by 21%, from 787,000 in 2022/23 to 955,000 in 2023/24. The rate of suspensions also increased from 9.33 in 2022/23 to 11.31 in 2023/24.

Prior to the pandemic, the number and rate of suspensions had been increasing gradually. Since the pandemic, the rate of annual increases has accelerated.

Suspensions increased across all school types, with the largest proportional increase in primary schools

Compared to 2022/23, suspensions:

  • increased for primary pupils by 24%, from 84,300 to 104,800
  • increased for secondary pupils by 21%, from 685,900 to 829,900
  • increased for special school pupils by 21%, from 16,800 to 20,300
Note on data coverage over the pandemic

While suspensions and permanent exclusions were possible throughout the 2019/20 and 2020/21 academic years, national restrictions will have had an impact on the numbers presented and caution should be taken when comparing across years.

Suspensions peaked in the autumn term

Suspensions peaked in the 2023/24 autumn term, with 346,300 suspensions and a rate of 4.13.  The peak was seen across all school types. 

Persistent disruptive behaviour continued to be the most common reason for suspension

Prior to 2020/21, a single reason could be recorded for each suspension and permanent exclusion. From 2020/21, up to three reasons could be recorded. These reasons were recorded without weighting or prioritisation. As such, the sum of the number of reasons will not match the total number of suspensions or permanent exclusions from 2020/21.

As multiple reasons could be recorded, the table below and underlying data refer to a total of 1,122,400 reasons given for the 955,000 suspensions in 2023/24.

The most common reason recorded for suspension was persistent disruptive behaviour with 569,900 instances where this reason for suspension was recorded, 51% of all reasons given. This was followed by verbal abuse or threatening behaviour against an adult, with 174,000 suspensions including this reason (16%) and physical assault against a pupil with 141,800 suspensions including this reason (13%). Most reasons given are fairly consistent over time, although the proportion of persistent disruptive behaviour has increased.

Number of pupils who were suspended at least once increased by 12%

‘Pupils with one or more suspensions’ refers to pupil enrolments that had at least one suspension across the full academic year. Dual registered pupils with suspensions in multiple schools have each of their enrolments considered separately. This allows for schools to be held accountable for suspensions, as the suspensions are attached to enrolments at a particular school, not the individual pupil.

The total number of pupils with at least one suspension increased by 12% compared to the previous year, from 304,000 to 341,300. The rate of pupils with at least one suspension also increased, from 3.61 to 4.04, or 404 pupils in every 10,000.

Over 100,000 pupils missed more than one week of school due to suspensions

In 2023/24, 46% of suspensions were for one day or less, and 99% of suspensions were for five days or less. However, looking at the cumulative days missed over the academic year, 100,200 pupils who were suspended (29% of those with at least one suspension) missed the equivalent of more than one school week, and 48,500 (14%) missed the equivalent of more than two school weeks.

Permanent exclusions

A permanent exclusion refers to a pupil who is excluded and who will not come back to that school (unless the exclusion is overturned). This data only includes permanent exclusions which have been upheld by the governing body or Independent Review Panel (IRP), and not those which are still ongoing. 

The permanent exclusion rate is calculated as the number of permanent exclusions divided by the number of pupils (x100). A rate of 0.01 would be equivalent to 1 permanent exclusion for every 10,000 pupils.

The number and rate of permanent exclusions have increased

The number of permanent exclusions has increased by 16%, from 9,400 in 2022/23 to 10,900 in 2023/24. The rate of permanent exclusions also increased from 0.11 to 0.13. This is the equivalent of 13 in every 10,000 pupils.

Although permanent exclusions were relatively stable before the pandemic, the longer time trend over the past 10 years has been a gradual increase, from a low of 0.06 in 2012/13 to 2013/14.

The number of permanent exclusions increased across all school types

Compared to 2022/23, permanent exclusions:

  • increased for primary pupils by 22%, from 1,200 to 1,500
  • increased for secondary pupils by 15%, from 8,100 to 9,300
  • increased for special school pupils by 3%, from 120 to 130

Secondary schools continued to account for the majority (85%) of permanent exclusions, with a rate of 0.25. While the number of permanent exclusions is low in special schools, the rate (0.08) is higher than in primary (0.03).

Note on data coverage over the pandemic

While suspensions and permanent exclusions were possible throughout the 2019/20 and 2020/21 academic years, national restrictions will have had an impact on the numbers presented and caution should be taken when comparing across years.

Permanent exclusions peaked in the autumn term

The overall rate of permanent exclusions peaked in autumn term 2023/24, driven by a peak in secondary schools. The permanent exclusion rate in primary however remained consistent across terms and in special schools the rate fluctuated slightly between 0.02 and 0.03.

Persistent disruptive behaviour continued to be the most common reason for permanent exclusion

Prior to 2020/21, a single reason could be recorded for each suspension and permanent exclusion. From 2020/21, up to three reasons could be recorded. These reasons were recorded without weighting or prioritisation. As such, the sum of the number of reasons will not match the total number of suspensions or permanent exclusions from 2020/21.

As multiple reasons could be recorded, the table below and underlying data refer to a total of 14,900 reasons given for the 10,900 permanent exclusions in 2023/24.

The most common reason recorded for permanent exclusion was persistent disruptive behaviour with 5,800 instances where this reason for permanent exclusion was recorded, 39% of all reasons given. This was followed by physical assault against a pupil, with 2,300 permanent exclusions including this reason (16%) and physical assault against an adult with 1,900 permanent exclusions including this reason (12%).

Region and local authority level data

In line with the national trend, the rates of suspensions and permanent exclusions increased across all regions.

The highest suspension and permanent exclusions rates were in the North East, at 18.42 and 0.25 respectively. The lowest suspension rate was in London at 5.65 and the lowest permanent exclusion rates were in London and the South East at 0.07.

The map and table below shows the rates for suspensions and permanent exclusions at local authority level. Suspension rates in the the vast majority of local authorities increased in line with the national trend.

Pupil characteristics

The section below shows counts and rates of suspensions and permanent exclusions broken down by free school meal eligibility (FSM), special educational need provision (SEN), year group, sex and ethnicity. Data for unclassified/unknown sex, FSM status, SEN and year group are not presented in the tables due to very low numbers, which lead to volatile rates.

For context, the overall suspension rate for academic year 2023/24 was 11.31 and the permanent exclusion rate was 0.13. 

Pupils with SEN and FSM eligibility continue to have some of the highest rates of suspensions and permanent exclusions

Free school meals (FSM) eligibility

The suspension rate for pupils eligible for FSM was more than four times that of pupils who were not eligible, with rates of 27.55 and 5.99 respectively. Permanent exclusion rates were also higher for FSM-eligible pupils, with a rate of 0.33 compared to 0.06 for pupils who were not eligible. 

Special educational needs (SEN)

The rate of suspensions for pupils with an education, health and care (EHC) plan was 25.62, which is lower than for those with SEN support at 29.43. In contrast, the rate for pupils with no identified SEN was more than three times lower at 7.55. 

The rate of permanent exclusions among pupils with an EHC plan was 0.26, which, like suspensions, was lower than for those with SEN at 0.41. This compares to 0.08 for pupils with no SEN.

Year group 

Year 9 had the highest suspension rate at 32.11, followed by Year 10 with a rate of 29.87. Year 10 also had the highest rate of permanent exclusion at 0.40, closely followed by Year 9 at 0.39. 

In the primary phase, Year 6 had the highest suspension rate at 3.48 and Year 5 has the highest permanent exclusion rate at 0.05.

Sex

The suspension rate for male pupils was more than 1.5 times that of female pupils, with rates of 13.93 and 8.58, respectively. Male pupils also had a higher permanent exclusion rate of 0.18, which is more than twice that of female pupils, who had a rate of 0.08.

Ethnicity 

Gypsy/Roma pupils continued to have the highest rates of suspension and permanent exclusion. Traveller of Irish Heritage pupils had the second highest rates of suspensions, and the joint second highest rates of permanent exclusions alongside White and Black Caribbean pupils. 

Caution is recommended when interpreting the rates for Traveller of Irish Heritage and Gypsy/Roma children due to small population sizes.

Pupils in the Chinese and Indian ethnic groups continued to have the lowest rates of suspensions and permanent exclusions in 2023/24.

State-funded alternative provision

State-funded alternative provision (AP) includes pupil referral units, alternative provision academies and alternative provision free schools.

Suspensions in state-funded alternative provision continued to increase, to 40,200 in 2023/24 from 37,600 in 2022/23. The number of permanent exclusions was small; 39 in 2023/24, a decrease from 45 in 2022/23.

Suspension and permanent exclusion rates for alternative provision are not presented here but are included in the underlying data files. Caution is advised when using these, as alternative provision settings tend to be disproportionately affected by dual subsidiary pupils not being included in the headcount when calculating suspensions and permanent exclusion rates, which may result in rates that appear significantly higher than other phases.

Exclusion reviews

Parents (and pupils if aged over 18) are able to request an independent review of a permanent exclusion. An independent review panel’s role is to review the decision of the governing body not to reinstate a permanently excluded pupil. The panel must consider the interests and circumstances of the excluded pupil, including the circumstances in which the pupil was excluded and have regard to the interests of other pupils and people working at the school.

The number of independent reviews lodged in 2023/24 was 810, an increase from 676 in 2022/23.

61% of exclusions were upheld at the independent review panel, a slight increase from 59% in 2022/23.

Further data

The headline figures in this publication cover the full academic year 2023/24 and comparisons to the previous year are presented. The next publication in the series will cover the autumn term 2024/25.

Past releases for autumn terms and spring terms are available via the past releases drop down in the top right toolbar of this publication.

Further data is available in the data catalogue, or you can create your own tables using the table tool including:

  • Permanent exclusions and suspensions by pupil characteristics
  • Suspensions - Number of days missed
  • Suspensions - Duration of suspensions
  • Suspensions - Average days missed
  • Suspensions - Number of suspensions

Help and support

Methodology

Find out how and why we collect, process and publish these statistics.

Accredited official statistics

These accredited official statistics have been independently reviewed by the Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR). They comply with the standards of trustworthiness, quality and value in the Code of Practice for Statistics. Accredited official statistics are called National Statistics in the Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007.

Accreditation signifies their compliance with the authority's Code of Practice for Statistics which broadly means these statistics are:

  • managed impartially and objectively in the public interest
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  • produced according to sound methods
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Our statistical practice is regulated by the Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR).

OSR sets the standards of trustworthiness, quality and value in the Code of Practice for Statistics that all producers of official statistics should adhere to.

You are welcome to contact us directly with any comments about how we meet these standards. Alternatively, you can contact OSR by emailing regulation@statistics.gov.uk or via the OSR website.

Contact us

If you have a specific enquiry about Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England statistics and data:

Attendance and exclusions statistics team

Email: schools.statistics@education.gov.uk
Contact name: Attendance and exclusions statistics team

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Telephone: 020 7783 8300

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