School Exclusion

Cognus’ School Exclusion service provides information, advice and guidance on the prevention of exclusion to schools. The team is responsible for recording and reporting statutory exclusion data on behalf of the London Borough of Sutton.

Additionally, the team will make the necessary arrangements, in partnership with the Limes College in Sutton, to offer pupils suitable education from the 6th day of permanent exclusion.

There are two types of school exclusion from Maintained Schools, Academies and Pupil Referral Units which are lawful: fixed-period suspensions and permanent exclusions.

  • Fixed-period suspensions: Where a pupil is not allowed in a school for a specified number of days, or for part of the school day
  • Permanent exclusion: Where the Head Teacher has decided that a pupil should not continue at the school in response to a serious breach or persistent breaches of the schools behaviour policy; and where allowing the pupil to remain in the school would seriously harm the education or welfare of the pupil or others in the school

Reporting exclusion
Schools and academies have a statutory duty to record and report both fixed-period suspensions and permanent exclusions to the Local Authority. In the case of the London Borough of Sutton, this is managed by Cognus.

In accordance with the DfE Suspension and Permanent Exclusions from maintained schools, academies and pupil referral units September 2023 Cognus must be notified immediately of any permanent exclusions, or of an individual student’s fixed period suspension, of any length.

In addition, schools and academies must report on all fixed-period suspensions weekly. The format is not defined in law but must include the total number of pupils suspended, the accumulated number of days suspended, and the reasons for the suspensions.

Individual Pupil Exclusion Notification – Primary

Individual Pupil Exclusion Notification – Secondary

All exclusion notifications should be returned to exclusions@cognus.org.uk

Schools should have regard to the Local Areas Graduated Response – Preventing Exclusion document to ensure all reasonable steps are being taken to provide support and intervention, and have been taken prior to the last resort of permanent exclusion.

Click here to find about more about Cognus Inclusion support and the graduated response.