Toward Zero Exclusion. An action plan for schools and policymakers

Teachers hate excluding pupils. Indeed, as one head teacher told ippr researchers: "If we can't manage behaviour, we have failed . . . Throwing them out raises standards in the school but not in the community".

But since 2001, permanent exclusions have risen and in 2003/04 over 1.3 million days of pupil time were spent out of the classroom due to temporary exclusions. There has been a consistent failure to achieve a high standard of alternative provision for those outside the mainstream, and a failure to offer any solution to the problem of challenging behaviour on progressive terms.

Those who are committed to achieving an education system that meets the needs of every child, including those whose behaviour is good but whose learning is at risk due to the behaviour of others, must now look for a new solution to dealing with challenging behaviour in schools.

Towards Zero Exclusion is an ambitious action plan to renew the drive to reduce school exclusion. It is essential reading for policy makers, teachers and educationalists who are committed to meeting the social and emotional wellbeing and learning needs of those with challenging behaviour, without compromising the needs and entitlements of the wider school community. The original research behind the report is also available in a separate booklet entitled Classroom Lessons for Policy Makers (pdf).