Exclusions

Cases of exclusion have fallen from high of 44,794 in 2006/07 to 11,676 in 2022/23. Although there was a 40% increase from 2020/21 to 2022/23, the current figure of 11,676 exclusions is 22% lower than in 2018/19 and is consistent with the overall downward trend (Figure 35). This trend was impacted by a notable decrease in exclusion between 2018/19 and 2020/21, with cases of exclusion falling 44% (figure 35). This decrease was partly attributable to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Over 99% of all exclusions were for a fixed period of time, referred to here as temporary exclusions, with pupils expected to return to their original school when the exclusion period is completed. In a small number of cases, one in 2022/23, an excluded pupil is ‘removed from the register’. When this occurs a pupil does not return to their original school and will be educated at another school or in some other educational provision. Cases of exclusion refers to the number of incidences of exclusion, not the number of individual pupils excluded, as a pupil can be excluded multiple times.

Figure 36 shows that the exclusion rate per 1,000 pupils was two and a half times higher for male pupils (23.4 cases of exclusion per 1,000) than female pupils (9.4 cases of exclusion per 1,000).

Having an additional support need also increases the likelihood of exclusion. The rate of exclusion for pupils with an additional support need was 34.6 exclusions per 1,000 pupils in 2022/23, almost five times the rate for pupils without an additional support need (7.1 exclusions per 1,000 pupils) (Figure 36).

Living in a relatively more deprived area was also associated with a higher exclusion rate. Rates of exclusion per 1,000 pupils were three and a half times greater for pupils living in the 20% most deprived areas compared with pupils living in the 20% least deprived areas (25.3 exclusions per 1,000 pupils compared to 7.2) (Figure 36).

Figure 35 Cases of exclusion and rate by type of exclusion, 2010/11 to 2022/23

Note 1: The exclusions in the total and the removed from register figures for 2016/17 were updated in June 2018 to take into account 4 pupils removed from the register who were not included in the original analysis.

Figure 36 Cases of exclusion and rate per 1,000 pupils by sex, additional support need [Note 1] and SIMD [Note 2], 2022/23

Note 1: Cases of exclusion for pupils that were not matched to the Pupil Census have not been included. See the background notes for more information.

Note 2: SIMD data not available for 50 cases of exclusion, including cases for pupils not matched to the Pupil Census.