Guidance on excluding and expelling pupils to be consulted on

The government has launched a consultation on revised guidance for excluding and expelling pupils.

The DfE claims the guidance aims to “clarify” areas that were “causing confusion in the system”, rather than change existing policy.

It also includes “corrected descriptions of legal requirements” that it said were not clear enough in the previous guidance, which dates from 2012.

The proposed changes are due to come into effect in September 2017.

They come two years after the government dropped new guidance weeks after it was issued, due to problems with “process”.

The proposed changes to the guidance include certain clarifications, such as that schools cannot extend a fixed-term exclusion. Instead, they must issue a further fixed-period exclusion.

Appeals from parents with SEN pupils will also be consulted on, as will the standard of proof to base a decision on.

The government has also issued new documents for headteachers and parents about the exclusion system.

The consultation runs until 25 April.