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Methodology
Pupil exclusion statistics: methodology
Published
1. Overview of exclusion statistics
1.1 Requirements for schools
The headteacher of a school can exclude a pupil on disciplinary grounds only.
Good discipline in schools is essential to ensure all pupils can benefit from the opportunities provided by education.
The decision to exclude a pupil must be lawful, reasonable and fair. In addition, schools have a statutory duty not to discriminate against pupils on the basis of protected characteristics, such as disability or race.
Schools and LAs must arrange alternative provision from the sixth day of the exclusion of pupils of compulsory school age.
1.2 Uses and users of exclusion statistics and data
The data used to publish exclusions statistics is collected via the school census which is used by a variety of companies and organisations including:
mainstream and specialist media companies
housing websites such as Rightmove and Zoopla
specialist publications such as the good schools guide
data analysis organisations such the Fischer Family Trust
academic research and think tank organisations such as Durham University and the Education Policy Institute
central government organisations such as DfE, Ofsted and other government departments
The published data is also used in answers to parliamentary questions and public enquiries - including those made under the Freedom of Information Act.
1.3 Current publications
DfE has published annual exclusions data via the Permanent exclusions and suspensions in England National Statistics release in July each year. This publication has previously been called ‘Permanent and fixed-period exclusions in England’.
From November 2022, DfE will publish termly exclusions data, resulting in three publications per year, covering the autumn term, autumn and spring term and the full academic year.
Links to all exclusions publications can be found in Annex C.
1.4 Key exclusion measures
DfE monitors pupil exclusion levels using key measures based on exclusions and suspensions.
Permanent exclusion refers to a pupil who's excluded and who will not come back to that school (unless the exclusion is overturned).
Suspension refers to a pupil who's excluded from a school for a set period of time.
A suspension can involve a part of the school day and does not have to be for a continuous period.
A pupil may be suspended for one or more fixed-periods up to a maximum of 45 school days in a single academic year.
This total includes exclusions from previous schools covered by the exclusion legislation.
Pupils with one or more suspensions refers to pupils who have at least one suspension across the full academic year.
Exclusions information relates to all exclusions reported across the full academic year.
For full academic year data, and for termly data published in full year publications released prior to November 2022, exclusion rates are calculated as a proportion of all pupils on roll as at the January Census day of the relevant academic year.
From November 2022, full year data will continue to use pupil on roll figures from the Spring census (January) however termly data will be presented using pupil on roll figures from the census for that specific term. As no census was taken for Summer 2019/20, headcount figures from Summer 2019/20 correspond to the Spring (January census).
1.6 Published geographical and characteristics breakdowns
DfE routinely publishes pupil exclusions information at national and local authority level including breakdowns by pupil characteristics.
School level data is also released but it should be noted that DfE does not hold individual schools to account based purely on their exclusion figures and does not set exclusion thresholds or targets on the use of exclusion.
Ofsted assesses schools' use of exclusion as part of inspection arrangements.
A list of all routinely published breakdowns is available in Annex D.
1.7 Appeals and reviews relating to exclusion
In addition to permanent exclusions and suspension figures, releases also include information on the number of appeals and reviews relating to permanent exclusions reported by local authorities (LAs).
1.8 Underlying data provided alongside publications
From the 2008/09 academic year, each release has been accompanied by underlying data, including national, local authority and school level information.
Alongside the underlying data there's an accompanying document (metadata) which provides further information on the contents of these files.
The Code of Practice for Statistics requires reasonable steps are taken to ensure all published or disseminated statistics produced by DfE protect confidentiality.
In this release figures in underlying data files are not rounded or suppressed, except for the figures on Post Looked After Arrangements, which are treated the same way as other statistics on Children Looked After. In the commentary percentages are rounded for brevity.
Symbols used to identify this in published tables:
0
Zero
c
Small number suppressed to preserve confidentiality
z
Not applicable
x
Not available
In old publications different rounding and suppression conventions were used.
To assist users a full time series of data has been made available within the latest published time series tables and underlying data.
1.10 Other related publications
Pupil exclusions information is also available in the following publications:
Within published exclusions statistics both the number of exclusions and the rate of exclusion are presented.
Rates of exclusion are a more appropriate measure for comparisons over time as they take into account changes in the overall number of pupils across different academic years.
As pupils can receive more than one suspension, in some cases the rate of exclusion may be above 100%.
The following sections outline the methodology used to calculate exclusion rates - including a change implemented as of the 2013/14 academic year.
3.1.1 2021/22 onwards
From the 2021/22 Autumn term exclusions release, where termly data is presented, exclusion rates are calculated as a percentage of the total number of solely registered pupils and dual main registered pupils on roll as at census day for each term. An exception applies to Summer 2019/20, where the absence of a school census means Spring term 2019/20 on roll figures will be used for any rates calculated.
For full academic year figures, Spring census for the relevant academic year will continue to be used.
3.1.2 2013/14 to 2020/21
From the 2013/14 annual exclusions release, exclusion rates are calculated as a percentage of the total number of solely registered pupils and dual main registered pupils on roll as at January census day. This change is an improvement as it more accurately reflects the number of pupils who could be excluded, resulting in more accurate exclusion rates.
This change has a minor effect on exclusion rates, but to assist users recalculated time series data have been made available within national published time series tables and underlying data. Consistent data has been published covering academic year 2006/07 onwards.
Figures on numbers of exclusions are not affected by this change.
Permanent exclusion rate = (Number of permanent exclusions recorded across whole academic year / Number of sole and dual main registered pupils on roll as of January census day) X 100
Suspension rate = (Number of suspensions recorded across whole academic year / Number of sole and dual main registered pupils on roll as of January census day) X 100
3.1.3 Releases before 2013/14
Prior to the 2013/14 annual exclusions release, exclusion rates were calculated as a percentage of the total number of solely registered pupils on roll as at January census day.
Formulae for exclusion rates prior to the 2013/14 release are as follows:
Permanent exclusion rate = (Number of permanent exclusions recorded across whole academic year / Number of sole registered pupils on roll as of January census day) X 100
Suspension rate = (Number of suspensions recorded across whole academic year / Number of sole registered pupils on roll as of January census day) X 100
3.2 Permanent exclusion checking exercise 1997/98 to 2009/10
Due to some known under-reporting and some over-reporting of permanent exclusions, a data checking exercise with local authorities was carried out from 1997/98 to 2009/10 to confirm the number of permanent exclusions.
Therefore, for these years, permanent exclusion figures are estimates based on incomplete pupil level data.
The checking exercise took place at local authority level, where the number of permanent exclusions reported by schools via the schools census were compared to the number of permanent exclusions confirmed by each local authority.
This resulted in a pro-rate variable for each reported exclusion, where each exclusion could account for more or less depending on if schools within the local authority were deemed to have over or under reported their exclusions.
Permanent pro rate = Number of permanent exclusions confirmed by local authority during checking exercise for each school / Number of permanent exclusions reported in school census for each type of school
For example, if 5 permanent exclusions were reported for primary schools by a local authority via the school census but 10 permanent exclusions for primary schools were confirmed by the local authority during the checking exercise, each individual reported permanent exclusion was subsequently counted as 2.
This issue has decreased over time and the checking exercise was discontinued following the 2009/10 academic year.
Following this - ie from the 2010/11 publication onwards - published permanent exclusion figures are as reported by schools.
3.3 Appeals and reviews relating to permanent exclusions
Parents (and pupils if aged over 18 years) are able to request a review of a permanent exclusion.
Data on independent review panels regarding permanent exclusions is collected at local authority level via an annual survey. Data was first collected for the 2012/13 academic year.
Information on the old independent appeal panels has been collected by DfE via an annual survey since 1994/95.
However, figures for 1994/95 to 1996/97 are known to be incomplete. Therefore, in the majority of releases, appeals data has been published from 1997/98 onwards.
3.3.1 Reviews of permanent exclusions: 2012/13 onwards
From 1 September 2012, independent appeal panels were replaced with independent review panels - a new system by which the governing body's decision to uphold a permanent exclusion decision can be reviewed.
The role of the independent review panel is to review the governing body's decision not to reinstate a permanently excluded pupil.
In reviewing the decision 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.
Where a panel decides that a governing body's decision is flawed in the light of the principles applicable on an application for judicial review, it can direct the governing body to reconsider its decision.
If the governing body does not subsequently offer to reinstate a pupil, the panel will be expected to order that the school makes an additional payment of £4,000.
This payment will go to the local authority. In other circumstances a panel can recommend, rather than direct, that a governing body reconsiders its decision.
No additional payment is required if reinstatement is not offered following a recommendation to reconsider.
Whether or not a school recognises that a pupil has special educational needs (SEN), all parents (or pupils if aged 18 or over) have the right to request the presence of a SEN expert at an independent review panel.
The SEN expert's role is to provide impartial advice to the panel about how SEN could be relevant to the exclusion.
For example, whether the school acted reasonably in relation to its SEN duties when excluding the pupil.
The data does not show whether any reinstatement offer has been accepted by parents.
3.3.2 Appeals against permanent exclusions: prior to 2012/13
Prior to 1 September 2012, independent appeal panels were used to appeal the decision to permanently exclude a pupil. Panels could either:
uphold the exclusion
overturn the exclusion. In this case they could either:
direct immediate reinstatement or reinstatement at some future date
decide that because of exceptional circumstances or other reasons it was not practical to give a direction requiring reinstatement, but that it would otherwise have been appropriate to give such a direction
3.4 Previously Looked After Arrangements (PLAA)
Previously looked after arrangements (PLAA) includes children who are identified as having ceased to be looked after through adoption, a special guardianship order (SGO) or a child arrangements order (CAO). This requires declaration by the parents or guardians of the child. We estimate that the rate of declaration decreases as children get older. Historically coverage at key stage 2 is much better than at key stage 4. In 2021, the coverage at key stage 4 was 50%. This should be taken into consideration when reviewing PLAA statistics.
The school census collects exclusions information two terms in arrears.
For example, the summer school census collects information on exclusions occurring during the autumn term.
Data is collected two terms in arrears to allow time for any independent reviews panels and governing body reconsiderations to be concluded before supplying information to DfE.
Phase
Census
Schedule
State-funded primary,secondary, special schools and pupil referral units
Summer census
Collects autumn term exclusions - occurring between 1 August and 31 December inclusive
Autumn census
Collects spring term exclusions – occurring between 1 January and Easter Sunday inclusive
Spring census
Collects summer term exclusions - occurring between Easter Monday to 31 July inclusive
Schools submit their school census returns via DfE's data collection software COLLECT. For further information on the school census - including exclusions: School census: closed collections.
4.2 Background of exclusion data collection
The following sections outline how exclusions data collection has changed since it was first collected in 1994/95. Consistent data is available from academic year 2006/07 onwards.
4.2.1 School census: 2021/22 onwards
From Autumn term 2021/22, data will be published on a termly basis once available. As such there will be three statistics release per academic year.
The first will cover the Autumn term, the second publication will cover both Autumn and Spring terms, and the final publication will cover the full academic year, as with previous annual publications.
There is no change to the data collection schedule as a result of this change.
Headcounts will be taken from the relevant term in any termly data. Previously the Spring headcount has been used to represent each term in the same academic year.
4.2.2 School census: 2005/06 to 2020/21
In summer 2006 the school census started to collect exclusions data on a termly basis (spring, summer and autumn collections) from maintained secondary schools, 14 city technology colleges and academies to cover the 2005/06 academic year.
The collection amalgamated the previous annual school census and termly exclusion survey, covering both permanent exclusion and suspension (fixed period exclusions) as well as reason for exclusion – all collected at a pupil level.
There is a data gap for suspensions occurring within primary and special schools for the 2005/06 academic year.
This is because these schools did not move to the termly census collection until the following year, and the termly exclusion survey was discontinued in 2004/05.
Permanent exclusions in 2005/06 continued to be collected for primary and special schools via the annual school census.
In the summer 2007 school census the scope of the collection was extended to include primary and special schools, collecting exclusions data for the 2006/07 academic year.
In the spring 2014 school census the scope of the collection was extended again to include termly pupil referral unit (PRU) exclusion data.
Previously this information had been collected annually via the PRU census which ran from 2010 to 2013.
The first full academic year of PRU exclusions data was collected for the 2013/14 academic year.
4.2.3 Termly exclusions survey: 2002/03 to 2004/05
The termly exclusions survey was first carried out in summer 2003, collecting fixed-period exclusions for the first time for the 2003 summer term.
There was evidence of under reporting from schools and this term of data was published as experimental statistics.
In 2003/04 the first full academic year of fixed period exclusions data was collected via the termly exclusion survey. The survey also collected termly permanent exclusions for the first time.
In addition, reason for exclusion was collected via the termly exclusions survey for the first time as of the 2003/04 academic year.
In published statistics for 2003/04 and 2004/05 a combination of annual schools census and termly exclusion survey figures are published.
Overall, permanent exclusion figures are sourced from the annual school census, with term and reason breakdowns coming from the termly exclusion survey.
All fixed-period exclusion figures are sourced from the termly exclusion survey.
The termly exclusions survey was discontinued after the collection of data for the 2004/05 academic year.
4.2.4 Annual school census: 1994/95 to 2001/02
In 1996 permanent exclusions relating to the 1994/95 academic year were first collected by DfE for primary, secondary and special schools via the annual school census. 1995/96 is deemed to be the first reliable year of exclusions data.
In 2002 the annual school census changed to an annual pupil level school census, collecting pupil level exclusions for the 2000/01 academic year.
Permanent exclusions from City Technology Colleges (CTCs) and academies were also first collected for the 2000/01 academic year.
4.3 Data coverage
4.3.1 Coverage for 2006/07 to present
Schools provide, via the school census, individual exclusion data for all pupils receiving a permanent exclusion or suspension (fixed-period exclusion) within the collection period.
Within published exclusions statistics, schools are categorised into the following phases.
Phase
Types of school
State-funded primary
Local authority maintained schools
Middle schools as deemed
Sponsored academies
Converter academies
Free schools
State-funded secondary
Local authority maintained schools
Middle schools as deemed
City technology colleges
Sponsored academies
Converter academies
Free schools
University technical colleges
Studio schools
Special
Local authority maintained special schools
Non-maintained special schools
Sponsored academies
Converter academies
Free schools
4.3.2 Coverage for 2005/06
Exclusions information was collected on a termly basis, at enrolment level, via the school census for the first time to cover the 2005/06 academic year. In this first year of collection, information was collected for secondary schools only.
4.3.3 Coverage from 1994/95 to 2004/05
Permanent exclusion information was collected via the annual school census, at school level, for all pupils in primary, secondary and special schools. From 2000/01 the annual schools census moved to a pupil level collection and permanent exclusions from CTCs and academies were collected for the first time, though these were not included in published statistics until the 2006/07 academic year.
4.4 What exclusions information is collected
Schools are expected to supply the following via their school census returns:
4.4.1 Category of exclusion
For each exclusion, this indicates the type of exclusion:
suspension
permanent
4.4.2 Reason for exclusion or suspension
Since autumn 2020, up to 3 reasons can be recorded for each suspension or permanent exclusion (where applicable). There is no requirement to order the reasons.
This table provides examples of reasons for suspensions or permanent exclusions given in school census guidance to aid schools selecting the relevant reason. These examples are used as a guide and are not intended to act as a tick list.
Reason
Possible examples
Physical assault against a pupil
fighting, obstruction and jostling, violent behaviour, wounding
Physical assault against an adult
obstruction and jostling, violent behaviour, wounding
Verbal abuse or threatening behaviour against a pupil
Use or threat of use of an offensive weapon or prohibited item
carrying or bringing onto the school site an offensive weapon or prohibited item such as knives, sharp instruments and BB guns, carrying any article that has been or is likely to be used to commit an offence, cause personal injury or damage to property, use of an offensive weapon
Bullying
verbal, physical, cyber bullying or threatening behaviour online, racist bullying, sexual bullying, homophobic, biphobic and transphobic bullying, bullying related to disability
Racist abuse
derogatory racist statements, racist bullying, racist graffiti, racist taunting and harassment, swearing that can be attributed to racist characteristics
Abuse against sexual orientation and gender identity (for example, LGBT+)
derogatory statements about sexual orientation (e.g. heterosexual, lesbian, gay, bisexual) and gender identity (e.g. transgender), homophobic, biphobic and transphobic bullying, LGBT+ graffiti, LGBT+ taunting and harassment, swearing that can be attributed to LGBT+ characteristics
Abuse relating to disability
derogatory statements or swearing about a disability, bullying related to disability, disability related graffiti, disability related taunting and harassment
Sexual misconduct
lewd behaviour, sexual abuse, sexual assault, sexual bullying, sexual graffiti, sexual harassment
Drug and alcohol related
alcohol abuse, drug dealing, inappropriate use of prescribed drugs, possession of illegal drugs, smoking, substance abuse
Damage to property
damage includes damage to school or personal property belonging to any member of the school community, arson, graffiti, vandalism
Theft
selling and dealing in stolen property, stealing from local shops on a school outing, stealing personal property (from an adult or pupil), stealing school property
Persistent or general disruptive behaviour
challenging behaviour, disobedience, persistent violation of school rules, raising of fire alarms falsely
Inappropriate use of social media or online technology
sharing of inappropriate images (of adult or pupil), cyber bullying or threatening behaviour online, organising or facilitating criminal behaviour using social media
Wilful and repeated transgression of protective measures in place to protect public health
Deliberate breaching of protective measures such as (but not limited to): non-compliance with social distancing, causing distress such as through purposefully coughing very near to other pupils or adults, or any other deliberate breach of public health protective measures which the school has adopted.
Before autumn 2020 there was a different list of reasons and schools were required to report the main reason for each exclusion.
Pre-autumn 2020 reasons
Exclusion reason
Description
Bullying
Cyber bullying
Homophobic bullying
Physical
Verbal
Damage
Arson
Graffiti
Vandalism
Drug and alcohol related
Alcohol abuse
Drug dealing
Inappropriate use of prescribed drugs
Possession of illegal drugs
Smoking
Substance abuse
Persistent disruptive behaviour
Challenging behaviour
Disobedience
Persistent violation of school rules
Physical assault against adult
Obstruction and jostling
Violent behaviour
Wounding
Physical assault against pupil
Fighting
Obstruction and jostling
Violent behaviour
Wounding
Racist abuse
Derogatory racist statements
Racist bullying
Racist graffiti
Racist taunting and harassment
Swearing that can be attributed to racist characteristics
Sexual misconduct
Lewd behaviour
Sexual abuse
Sexual assault
Sexual bullying
Sexual graffiti
Sexual harassment
Theft
Selling and dealing in stolen property
Stealing from local shops on a school outing
Stealing personal property (adult or pupil)
Stealing school property
Verbal abuse / threatening behaviour against adult
Aggressive behaviour
Carrying an offensive weapon
Homophobic abuse and harassment
Swearing
Threatened violence
Verbal intimidation
Verbal abuse / threatening behaviour against pupil
Aggressive behaviour
Carrying an offensive weapon
Homophobic abuse and harassment
Swearing
Threatened violence
Verbal intimidation
4.4.3 Start date of exclusion/suspension
Each exclusion is reported with a start date. This start date should reflect the date the exclusion starts - ie the date the pupil was asked to leave the school by the headteacher.
4.4.4 Length of exclusion/suspension in sessions
For each suspension , the actual number of sessions for which the suspension is in effect is recorded. Each session counts as half a school day. Suspension only covers the number of sessions the pupil is expected to be at the school.
A suspension can be discontinuous which means there can be days between the start and finish dates of the suspension that are not included as part of the suspension .
Where a pupil is dually registered, sessions are not recorded for the days when they would have been attending the other establishment.
For example, a pupil is suspended for six sessions starting on a Monday. However, the pupil is registered with another provider on the Wednesday from which they have not been suspended.
Therefore, the pupil is suspended from the school for sessions on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. The pupil's attendance on the Wednesday would be recorded separately by the other provider.
Sessions are not recorded for the days when the pupil is attending an approved educational activity.
For example, a year 10 pupil has been suspended for six sessions starting on a Wednesday. However, the pupil attends work experience on a Thursday from which they're not suspended .
The pupil in this situation would be suspended from the school for sessions on Wednesday, Friday and Monday.
Days on which there's a planned school closure do not count towards a suspended .
For example, a pupil has been suspended from a school for four sessions starting on a Friday but the school is planned to be closed on the Monday for an INSET day.
Therefore the pupil's suspended should include the two sessions on the following Tuesday, rather than the Monday.
4.4.5 In care and SEN indicators
For each exclusion and suspension, the pupil's in care status and SEN provision at the time of exclusion/suspension is recorded. This may be different to their current provision.
4.5 What information is not collected
DfE does not collect the following information:
4.5.1 Permanent exclusions overturned at governing body consideration stage and at governing body reconsideration stage
DfE does not collect information on permanent exclusions which were overturned at the governing body consideration stage and at governing body reconsideration stage.
Those do not count as exclusions and the exclusion decision has effectively been overturned.
By collecting the data two terms after that in which the exclusion started, it's anticipated that all the exclusion reviews and reconsiderations procedures would have been completed by the time the data is collected and so only exclusions which have been upheld will be included in school census returns.
4.5.2 Specific details of exclusion incident
Exclusions information is collected with a corresponding reason for exclusion.
The following sections outline how exclusions data goes from raw school census returns to a finalised dataset used to prepare National Statistics releases.
5.1 Data linking
Exclusion and suspension data is collected at exclusion/suspension level in each term. For annual figures, data is therefore aggregated by simply summing the number of termly exclusions/suspensions together.
Each exclusion is reported alongside a unique pupil identifier.
Pupil level data is derived by linking exclusion/suspension records collected in each termly census to unique pupil identifiers, giving the total number of exclusions and suspensions received by each pupil across a given period (such as term or academic year).
This data is then linked to the relevant pupil's characteristics data (also collected via the school census) at the term of the exclusion/suspension.
Where characteristics data is missing, information collected in the census term reporting the exclusion/suspension is used.
If, again, data is also missing here a range of other relevant censuses will be used to attempt to find a characteristic (except for ethnicity as this information is only collected in the spring school census) as per Table 4: Characteristics linking for exclusion/suspension data.
Exclusion/suspension period
Source of data
First choice for characteristic (same as exclusion/suspension period)
Second choice for characteristic (following census)
Autumn term
Summer school census
Autumn school census
Summer school census
Spring term
Autumn school census
Spring school census
Autumn school census
Summer term
Spring school census
Summer school census
Spring school census
5.2 Data removed
To prepare the data for publication routine checks are applied to the linked data and where necessary data is removed as follows.
Lunch time exclusions are not reported in published exclusions statistics.
Any exclusions from sponsored academies with a start date before the academy opened are removed before analysis. They're removed because when a sponsored academy opens it's a new school and not responsible for exclusions accrued within the predecessor school.
Year-on-year comparisons of local authority (LA) data may be affected by schools converting to academies.
5.3 Variables added
Most of the variables needed to produce national level statistics can be calculated directly from the fields collected via the school census.
However, to prepare the data for publication the following variables are also added to the dataset.
5.3.1 Pupils with one or more suspension
Pupils with one or more suspension across the academic year are identified as such and are then used in the one or more suspension measure.
5.3.2 School and academy type
School type information - including school type, academy type and academy open date - is added to our underlying data prior to producing any analysis to allow us to produce the school- and academy-type breakdowns in our statistical releases.
These variables are derived using a combination of Get Information About Schools data and the academies and academy projects in development data.
Within National Statistics, academies are only indicated as academies if they were open as of 12 September.
The following should be taken into account when reviewing published exclusions
statistics.
The exclusions information reported in published releases is based on data
returned by schools as part of the school census.
It does not include data which has been submitted by local authorities (LAs)
or schools outside of the school census.
It's a school's responsibility to record exclusions data correctly in their
school census return.
As exclusions information is collected two terms in arrears, when a school
closes and is replaced by a sponsored academy data is not available for the
last two terms that the predecessor school was open.
Caution is recommended when interpreting the data for Traveller of Irish
Heritage and Gypsy/Roma children due to small population sizes.
6.1.1 Data checking
Prior to the release of exclusion National Statistics the raw data goes
through a thorough quality assurance process to ensure it is fit for purpose.
The main areas of this checking are:
matching derived data back to raw sources
comparing year-on-year trends across different geographies and pupil groups
to look for and investigate substantial changes
comparing figures and trends to other published sources
cross-checking data within the release to ensure totals are consistent
The following calculations are used to produce absence National Statistics:
Permanent exclusion or suspension rate
(Number of permanent exclusions/suspensions recorded across the whole academic year / Number of sole and dual main registered pupils on roll as at January census data) X 100
Pupils with one or more suspension rate
(Number of pupils with one of more suspension in full academic year / Number of sole and dual main registered pupils on roll as at January census day) X 100
Proportion of all exclusions
(Number of exclusions / Overall total number of exclusions) X 100
Average exclusions per day
Number of exclusions / 190
Average suspensions per pupil
Number of suspensions / Number of pupils with one or more suspensions
Average length of suspension
Total number of suspension sessions / Total number of suspensions
The following codes are used by schools to record reasons for permanent exclusions and suspensions. Up to 3 reasons can be recorded for each suspension or permanent exclusion (where applicable), there is no requirement to order the reasons.
Code
Description
PP
Physical assault against a pupil
PA
Physical assault against an adult
VP
Verbal abuse / threatening behaviour against a pupil
VA
Verbal abuse / threatening behaviour against an adult
OW
Use or threat of use of an offensive weapon or prohibited item
BU
Bullying
RA
Racist abuse
LG
Abuse against sexual orientation and gender identity
DS
Abuse relating to disability
SM
Sexual misconduct
DA
Drug and alcohol related
DM
Damage
TH
Theft
DB
Persistent disruptive behaviour
MT
Inappropriate use of social media or online technology
PH
Wilful and repeated transgression of protective measures in place to protect public health
Before autumn 2020 there were a different list of codes. There was a code for Other, OT, and there were no codes OW, LG, DS, MT, PH. Only the one main reason was recorded.
Previous reason list
Code
Reason
PP
Physical assault against a pupil
PA
Physical assault against an adult
VP
Verbal abuse / threatening behaviour against a pupil
VA
Verbal abuse / threatening behaviour against a adult
The following breakdowns are currently available in published exclusions statistics.
National level
Exclusion numbers and rates
For permanent exclusion and suspensions broken down by school type. Time series
Exclusions information by characteristic
Permanent exclusion and suspensions information by age, gender, free school meal eligibility, national curriculum year group, SEN provision, ethnic group and level of deprivation
Duration of suspensions
The duration of suspensions, broken down by school type
Number of suspensions
The number of suspensions broken down by school type
Exclusions by reason
The number and proportion of permanent exclusion and suspensions broken down by school type
Exclusion review panels
Information on the number of exclusion review panels in maintained primary, secondary, special schools and academies
Local authority level
Exclusion numbers and rates
For permanent exclusion and suspensions as well as those with one or more suspensions broken down by school type
Exclusions by reason
For suspensions and permanent exclusions
Exclusions by ethnicity
For suspensions and permanent exclusions. A school type split is provided for suspensions
School level
Exclusion numbers and rates
For permanent exclusion and suspensions as well as those with one or more suspension broken down by school type
