Attendance and exclusions

South Tyneside Council has a legal duty to provide all children and young people in South Tyneside with a full-time education, unless their parents or carers choose to make other arrangements.

In this section you will find information about attendance at school, the different types of suspensions and exclusions, and where to find advice and support.

Support

Contact SENDIASS for independent advice and support.

For more information, see GOV.UK: School suspensions and permanent exclusions.

Attending school is an important part of your child's day-to-day life.

It helps them to build social, organisational and learning skills. 

You are legally responsible for making sure your child attends the school they are registered with.

Schools usually check attendance twice a day through their own registers.

All schools and academies must have an attendance policy, which is usually published on the school's website.

Authorised absences

If your child needs to be absent from school, for example, for an medical appointment, you must contact the school to agree the absence.

This is usually in writing, so the school can "authorise" the absence.

Unauthorised absences

If your child's absence is not authorised by the school, this is classed as an "unauthorised absence", and this may be referred to the Council for further action.

For more information about attendance, please see South Tyneside Council: School attendance.

Support to attend school

Your child's needs may mean that they are likely to be absent more often, or they may need reasonable adjustments to manage their attendance.

Speak to your child's Head of Year, or the SENCO to discuss this.

Schools can sometimes suggest that your child should be on a part-time timetable. 

This should only be used if it benefits your child, and you agree with the arrangement.

These arrangements should be made for an agreed amount of time, and should be regularly reviewed.  

Your child should not be put on a part-time timetable because the school does not have the resources to meet the needs of your child. 

You should never be asked to keep your child at home or suggest that you educate your child at home because:

• there is no one available to support them with their special educational needs or disabilities
• your child's behaviour is a direct result of their special educational needs or disabilities
• your child will not be sitting exams with their peers

For more information on your child's legal rights, see IPSEA: School exclusions.

A suspension or exclusion happens when a head teacher decides that your child is not allowed to attend school.

This might be:

• for a fixed period of time (suspension), or
• permanent (exclusion).   

Only the head teacher or acting head teacher can give a suspension or exclusion.

Students can only be suspended or excluded for behaviour which is a breach of the school's behaviour policy. 

The school must follow strict processes for suspensions and exclusions.

You must always be told in writing what the decision is and why the decision has been made.

Exclusions

Pupils must not be excluded for:

• having a disability or special educational needs (SEN) that the school feels it is unable to meet
• not doing well with schoolwork

For a permanent exclusion:

• there must have been a serious breach or persistent breaches of the school's behaviour policy, and
• there must be concerns that allowing your child to remain in school would seriously harm the education or welfare of your child or others in the school.

If your child is permanently excluded, the Council must provide other suitable education. This may be a place in another school, or the Council may make other suitable arrangements.

Support for children with SEND

All schools are inclusive, and the head teacher should consider whether the behaviour or incidents are a direct result of your child or young person's SEND.

If a school has concerns about your child's behaviour, they should speak to you about whether your child is getting the right support.

If your child returns to school

The school / setting should work with you and your child to make sure that their return to school is positive and welcoming.

Some schools will invite you to discuss this, which is also a chance for you to explain any concerns.

More information

See South Tyneside Council: Excluded pupils

If you disagree with a suspension

If you do not agree with your child's suspension you can write to the school's governing body.

They do not have to meet with you if the suspension is for less than 5 days, but they must consider your views.

If you disagree with a permanent exclusion, or a suspension lasting 15 days or more

If your child has been permanently excluded or suspended for 15 days or more, the governing body must consider reinstating your child within 15 days of receiving notice of the exclusion. 

If the governing body decides that your child should be excluded, you can appeal to an Independent Review Panel.

It is important that you lodge your appeal within 15 school days from the date of the Discipline Committee decision.

You may wish to get independent advice, or support to write letters or attend the governing body or Independent Review Panel. 

Contact SENDIASS for impartial and practical advice and support.

If you believe your child has been discriminated against because of their disability

If you believe your child has been discriminated against because of their disability, you can bring a claim to a First-Tier Disability Discrimination Tribunal any time from the date of exclusion.

Internal exclusions

Internal exclusions are used when a teacher wants to move your child from class for disciplinary reasons, but your child is not allowed to leave the school site.

This is done usually for children who are disruptive in class.

Unlike suspensions or permanent exclusions, these are not legal exclusions, so they are not covered by any legislation. 

However, the school's behaviour policy should have information about how internal exclusions can be used.

Informal exclusions

Schools must follow the correct procedure and formally record any exclusion of a pupil, even it is for a short period of time.  

Informal exclusions are unlawful, even if you have agreed to them.  

Examples of informal exclusions include:

• if the school asks you to keep your child at home
• if the school asks you to collect your child early
• if the school says that your child is unable to take part in an activity, such as a school trip

Informal exclusions are often done with the best intentions, for example, if it is thought your child may be distressed.  

It can mean that your child misses out on learning and socialisation opportunities.

It can also mask the depth of your child's difficulties and prevent them from getting the support they need.

If your child has been informally excluded, you should contact SENDIASS.

If your child is at serious risk of being permanently excluded from their school / setting, you may ask for your child to be moved to another setting.

The school may also suggest that your child is moved.

This is known as a 'managed move'.

Managed moves are voluntary and you must agree with the move.

It should not be used as the only alternative to permanently excluding your child.