Increase in seven-year-olds facing exclusion
The amount of four and five-year-olds excluded from primary schools is on the rise, according to an expert who runs schools for excluded children.
Chief executive of the Engage Trust, Des Reynolds, told the Sunday Times that head teachers preoccupied with league tables are expelling children for behaviour they would have spent time helping in the past.
Reynolds told the paper that his youngest pupils is three and was permanently excluded from a nursery school, stating that the biggest growth area is under seven’s, “where we are seeing big increases”.
Figures from the Office for National Statistics that are due this month, are expected to show a further climb in primary-age children being expelled - this comes after the figure reaches 1,000 for the first time last year.
Read moreLatest News
23/04/2026 - 10:13
A survey of 1,105 teachers reveals many senior leaders reporting cuts to teaching assistants (71%), support staff (49%) and teaching staff (30%).
23/04/2026 - 09:30
A report from the Digital Poverty Alliance show that while digital tools are now embedded across school routines, access and usability remain deeply uneven.
22/04/2026 - 09:28
School food improvement programme Nourish is set to launch in Cumberland in 2026, working with schools to improve the quality and culture of food throughout the school day
21/04/2026 - 07:18
The government has announced a series of new measures aimed at strengthening freedom of speech and academic freedom across universities
20/04/2026 - 11:50
A creative careers programme which aims to inspire young people to explore careers across the creative industries has reached 210,000 young people since 2023.
