School suspensions and expulsions hit record levels again and risk becoming ‘an endemic problem’
High levels of school suspensions and expulsions risk becoming “an endemic problem”, a report has found, as new figures show they have hit record levels once again.
An investigation by IPPR and the Difference has revealed that suspensions and exclusions across all schools and year groups are predicted to have risen by 20 per cent in the 2023-24 academic year.
The region has the second highest rate of suspended pupils in England, behind the North East, and well over double the rate of school suspensions compared with London.
Bradford, Barnsley, Doncaster and Sheffield all have some of the highest levels of exclusions and unauthorised absences in the country, the report said.
It comes as a Yorkshire Post investigation into the crisis found that a draconian approach to tackling school attendance is forcing children to often be taught at home in what can be unsuitable environments.
The IPPR report found poorer children, those with school-identified special educational needs (Send) and children from ethnic minority backgrounds are disproportionately missing learning.
Ben Gadsby, head of policy and research at charity Impetus, told the Yorkshire Post that “levels of poverty” have had an impact on the regional figures.
However he stressed there was huge diversity across the counties.
“The disruption to people’s routine, the interruption of relationships with schools and with peers from the pandemic is going to be a massive factor in the rise,” he said.
Mr Gadsby explained that these figures are likely to under-represent the scale of the issue, as schools often agree with parents to move a child on informally.
There’s also little data around children being moved into homeschooling as the school was unable to facilitate the child’s needs.
This has certainly been an issue in Yorkshire, with parents saying they feel like they’ve been forced into home education to help youngsters with autism or other diagnoses.
One parent told this paper their son “doesn't fit the system”. She added: “He has been failed in his first years."
Efua Poku-Amanfo, IPPR research fellow, said of the report: “Thousands of children across the country are losing out on learning – and it’s rising.
“The most vulnerable children are being let down and we’re concerned this will become an endemic problem for society as well as the potential damage it could do to the prospects for young people.
“Change is long overdue and it’s time to look towards building more effective policy solutions to fix this crisis of lost learning.”
The government previously told the Yorkshire Post: “Education is at the heart of our mission to break down barriers to opportunity and make sure every child has the best life chances.
A Department for Education spokesperson explained: “We are very clear that all children should have a suitable education, which is why the Children’s Wellbeing Bill will legislate a register of children not in school, so no child falls through the cracks.
“We have also committed to providing access to specialist mental health professionals in every secondary school, improving inclusivity and Send expertise in mainstream schools and ensuring special schools cater to those with the most complex needs so all pupils get the support they need.”