Children with special educational needs are being disproportionately excluded from schools across Lincolnshire
It comes as calls are made for more alternative provisions to be put in place
We've been looking into school exclusions across Lincolnshire, and figures show it's a growing issue affecting children with special educational needs the most.
It's led to calls for more alternative provisions to be put in place to support them.
Figures from Lincolnshire County Council show that in the last academic year - for primary and secondary schools in the county - over half 53% of children permanently excluded had special educational needs - totalling to 120 children being removed from their education.
The most common reason for suspensions and permanent exclusions was persistent disruptive behaviour. Worryingly its young people who are the most disadvantaged already that are most likely to be removed from school.
In Lincolnshire those on free school meals are over six times as likely to be permanently excluded and four times as likely to be suspended than those who aren’t.
Children with special educational needs (SEN) were also more at risk of being excluded and suspended. With the most likely children to be permanently excluded those with SEN but without an education, health and care plan (EHC plan). This suggests that with the interventions and support outlined in a EHC plan more young people with SEN could be supported to remain in school.
Nacro is an independent education provider, with centres in Boston and Spalding, its smaller class sizes and one-to-one tailored support works well for those who have struggled in school. Nearly half of its students have an identified learning disability and 70% are eligible for free school meals or a bursary.
Zoe Whitmore is the the manager of Nacro's centre in Spalding - she says it can be challenging for the schools:
"Obviously staff have to deal with disruptive behaviour which take up a lot of time, equally when they have a lot of children to support, it can become quite difficult and equally the support services are very stretched. So, that 360 support network that sometimes you really need around that young person isn't always readily accessible.
"There is still an impact from the pandemic, we're seeing a lot more young people are experiencing social, emotional and mental health issues which is then putting barriers in place for them to engage effectively.
"I think it's about us looking for solutions and how we can be more trauma informed and looking at them as an individual and why they have those barriers in place to try and make them want to move forward."
A Lincolnshire mum of a 16 year old child who was first permanently excluded from a school at the age of 6 explains that it's been a long journey for them to find a solution.
She says that at the age of 6 she then went to a teaching and learning centre for a year before she started at a special school.
"It went ok for a while, but even there, by the age of 13 she was again part time, then not be able to attend for nearly a year as they couldn’t give her the support needed."
She says her daughter was then offered a place at a private school but they only kept her for a month before saying they couldn’t meet her needs, so again, at age 15 she had no school for nearly a year.
Now at age 16 she has EOTAS, meaning an education other than a school, which is funded through her EHCP - Education, Health and Care plan - where she has a tutor that comes to the house daily to teach her.
Martin Smith, is the Assistant Director for Children’s Education, and said:
Elise Temple, Director of Education at Nacro said: “The impact for already vulnerable children of a disrupted education can be devastating, and the knock-on effect into adult life has wide-ranging and long-lasting consequences. A number of our students were these young people, yet we see every day the potential and ability they show when they are offered a different kind of learning. It is vital we help these young people back into education or training as much as possible, so they can have the future they deserve.”
Nacro is calling for more Ofsted-registered alternative provision to be available for children and young people. This is to help to keep them engaged with learning and support them back into mainstream provision when appropriate.
The charity also wants to see a focus on ensuring all young people who need an education health care plan are issued with one, within the timescale. This is alongside more funding and investment so schools can offer children and young people the help they need.
“These figures represent a very small percentage of Lincolnshire’s 100,000 schoolchildren, as schools will only permanently exclude a pupil once all other avenues have been exhausted. Schools across the country have reported that the return to formal education following the pandemic has been challenging for many children, including those with special educational needs and disabilities. Schools are focused on early intervention to reduce the chances of issues escalating, and they can draw on a wide range of support provided by the council to better achieve this.”