Suspension definition
Suspensions, previously known as 'fixed period exclusions', refers 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).
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 are lower than in autumn 2023/24 but have increased in comparison to the previous spring term
In spring term 2023/24, there were 295,600 suspensions, representing a 15% decrease compared to autumn term 2023/24, which had 346,300 suspensions. However, compared to the previous spring term, the number of suspensions increased by 12%. Users should note that term lengths vary, with autumn term tending to be the longest term, and spring and summer terms in each year are determined by the date of Easter.
The suspension rate for spring 2023/24 was 3.50, or 350 suspensions per 10,000 pupils. In comparison, the suspension rate for the autumn term of 2023/24 was higher at 4.13, while the rate for the previous spring term was lower at 3.13.
A similar trend was seen in suspension rates across all school types
Across all school types, the suspension rate had decreased when compared to autumn term 2023/24 but had increased from the previous spring term.
Persistent disruptive behaviour remained the most common reason for suspension
As up to three reasons can be recorded for a single suspension, the table below and underlying data refer to a total of 346,300 reasons given for the 295,600 suspensions in spring term 2023/24.
Persistent disruptive behaviour was recorded as the reason for suspension in 176,200 instances, 51% of all reasons given. This was followed by verbal abuse or threatening behaviour against an adult, with 54,200 (16%) instances where this reason was recorded and physical assault against a pupil with 43,500 (13%) instances recorded.
The number of pupils suspended at least once has decreased from autumn 2023/24 but increased compared to the previous spring term
‘Pupils with one or more suspensions’ refer 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 number of pupils suspended at least once was 162,200 in spring term 2023/24. This is a decrease of 5% from 171,800 in autumn term 2023/24 but an increase of 8% when compared to the previous spring figure of 149,700.
Of the pupils who were suspended in the spring term 2023/24, 63% were suspended once, 31% were suspended between 2 and 4 times, and 6% were suspended 5 or more times.
The total number of days pupils are suspended for is increasing
In spring term 2023/24, 45% 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 term, 29,500 pupils who were suspended missed the equivalent of more than one school week (5 days), and 9,000 missed the equivalent of more than two school weeks (10 days). Compared to the previous spring term, this was 26,000 and 7,600 pupils, respectively.