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New Department for Education data shows school exclusions rising above pre-pandemic levels and suspensions skyrocketing

As the school year ends and a new government sets priorities, a clearer picture emerges of a ballooning problem in England’s schools with the most vulnerable children most at risk of falling out of school.

The Who’s Losing Learning Coalition – an alliance of IPPR, the Difference, Impetus and Mission 44 – has come together to analyse the scale and impact of lost learning.

The Coalition’s analysis of new Department of Education data reveals that exclusions (including temporary suspensions and permanent expulsions) have soared to record levels in 2022/23 (latest available figures). The data finds:

• The equivalent of 4,100+ children each day have been losing learning due to suspension from school
• Permanent exclusions have also risen above pre-pandemic levels - 9,376 children were permanently excluded from schools across England in 2022/23
• There has been an 80 per cent rise in suspensions from pre-pandemic levels, (up from 2300 in 2018/19) and a 36 per cent year-on-year rise between 2021/22 and 2022/23
• More than a half (55 per cent) of all suspensions were among children growing up in poverty (measured by free school meal eligibility)
• Children from Gypsy Roma and Traveller backgrounds were more than twice as likely to lose learning through suspension than their peers
• Children from mixed white and Black Carribean backgrounds were 85 per cent more likely than average to be suspended from school
• There is also concerning regional variation in rates of exclusion and suspension: 
  • The rate of permanent exclusion in the North East was nearly double that of England as a whole. Suspension rates were also higher in the North East than in any other region
  • In the East Midlands, suspension rates have more than doubled since before the pandemic

A new report to be published by IPPR on 5th September will outline the true scale of children losing learning in England. This will include new data on suspensions and exclusions, alongside statistics on types of exclusion not routinely tracked by the government such as off-rolling and internal truancy.

The upcoming report will also reveal that children with the worst mental health issues are 17 times more likely to be in Alternative Provision schools serving excluded pupils than their mentally healthier peers.

A new Who’s Losing Learning Solutions Council will set out how the education sector should respond to this challenge. Between September 2024 and March 2025 the council will hear evidence from school leaders, parents and organisations working with children losing learning. The Council will identify promising work currently happening in pockets across the country and advise on how these ought to be translated into national policy solutions.

Pepe Di'Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) and chair of the Solutions Council on Who’s Losing Learning, said:

“It is an uncomfortable yet undeniable fact that children demonstrating behavioural issues, often stemming from poor mental health or special educational needs, are at a higher risk of suspension or exclusion. To break this cycle, we must invest in specialised support that addresses their needs, helps keeps them in school, and enhances their life prospects. This is a moral imperative that the new government and the education sector must collaboratively address.”

Efua Poku-Amanfo, research fellow at IPPR, said:

"The sheer scale of students being excluded from school was already a major concern – and this data shows a steep increase in rates of exclusion and suspension. While it may be a short-term solution for schools, it becomes a much longer-term problem for society, young people’s health and their future opportunities.

“Students excluded from school are more likely to be from low-income backgrounds, have lower attainment, and have special educational needs. Evidence also suggests they are more likely to go on to be unemployed and go to prison after exclusion. We desperately need to build new effective policy solutions to this problem, informed by those on the front line, to support the most vulnerable students and help schools reduce the crisis of lost learning.”

Edward Timpson, KC, CBE and author of the Timpson Review into School Exclusions and patron of school leadership charity The Difference said:

“When my Review of School Exclusion was published, it revealed that the most vulnerable children were much more likely to experience suspension and exclusion. At that time - pre-pandemic - the rise in exclusions had started to slow. It is alarming, therefore, to see them rise again so rapidly post-Covid. More must be done to support schools as they endeavour to understand and respond to individual children – particularly children with SEN, Children in Need of additional help and protection and pupils who are disadvantaged. I am eager to see the new government take up the outstanding recommendations of my review, and learn from initiatives like The Difference charity, which is supporting school leaders to buck national trends on exclusion.”

Kiran Gill, Who's Losing Learning Campaign & CEO of The Difference said:

“The sobering rise in children losing learning through exclusions shows the need for a joined-up approach.

“We can't separate out policy response on behaviour from the special needs crisis, mental health problems or unequal opportunities for the poorest children.

“I'm proud at The Difference to support school leaders bucking these trends. And looking forward to working with cross-sector leaders this year to look at the challenge in the round and get the policy solutions these vulnerable children urgently need.”

Steve Haines, director of public affairs, Impetus, said:

“The news that we have a record number of permanent exclusions and suspensions needs to be one of the burning issues on the desk of the new Secretary of State.

“The Government has set a compelling ambition to break down barriers to education for all children, but this can't be achieved if tens of thousands of them are not in the classroom.

“We urgently need to take action to reduce preventable exclusions and support schools to ensure every child can learn and succeed.”

Spokespeople are available for interview.

Case studies are available to be filmed, including:

• Headteachers and pupils from Pupil Referral Units in London, Cambridge, and North East Lincolnshire.
• Case studies from mainstream schools in London, Leeds and Bradford.

CONTACT

• Georgia Horsfall, digital and media officer: 07931 605737 g.horsfall@ippr.org
• Liam Evans, senior digital and media officer: 07419 365334 l.evans@ippr.org

NOTES TO EDITORS

1. All data based on DfE data on suspensions and permanent exclusions in England released 18 July 2024. Data source: https://explore-education-stat...
2. The Who’s Losing Learning Coalition aims to reveal the extent of lost learning and its disproportionate impact on young people from disadvantaged backgrounds. It includes organisations such as: 
   1. The Difference exists to improve the life-outcomes of the most vulnerable children by raising the status and expertise of those who educate them.
   2. IPPR (the Institute for Public Policy Research) is an independent charity working towards a fairer, greener, and more prosperous society. We are researchers, communicators, and policy experts creating tangible progressive change, and turning bold ideas into common sense realities. Working across the UK, IPPR, IPPR North, and IPPR Scotland are deeply connected to the people of our nations and regions, and the issues our communities face. We have helped shape national conversations and progressive policy change for more than 30 years. From making the early case for the minimum wage and tackling regional inequality, to proposing a windfall tax on energy companies, IPPR’s research and policy work has put forward practical solutions for the crises facing society. www.ippr.org
   3. Launched by seven-time Formula One World Champion Sir Lewis Hamilton in 2021, Mission 44 is a charity that is working to build a fairer, more inclusive future for young people around the world. The charity invests in solutions that empower young people to overcome social justice and succeed. It has a particular focus on developing an inclusive education system, creating employment opportunities in STEM and motorsport, and empowering young people to shape the world they live in.
   4. Impetus transforms the lives of young people from disadvantaged backgrounds by ensuring they get the right support to succeed in school, in work and in life. www.impetus.org.uk

Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England: 2022 to 2023