Exclusions and fair access

The Fair Access Protocol and Inclusion Team provide support for children and young people, parents/carers, school leaders, governing bodies and other professionals to ensure pupils receive a suitable education. 

The Inclusion Team works with partners to prevent permanent exclusions and to ensure that those children and young people who are permanently excluded from school receive an alternative education within 6 days.

The Fair Access Protocol ensures that children and young people who meet the 'Hard to Place' criteria are admitted as quickly as possible to the right school/setting.
 

DfE guidance makes it clear that exclusion from school should only be used as a last resort. It is therefore expected that schools will have not only followed Worcestershire’s’ Graduated Response to Preventing Exclusions (PDF), but can evidence through documentation their consideration, conclusions and the services or resources made available to support the child to prevent exclusion.

The responsibility to exclude a child rests with the Headteacher. It is therefore important that before a decision to exclude is made, School suspensions and permanent exclusions (GOV.UK) is understood to ensure the exclusion is lawful, reasonable and fair and that the exclusion review process is in line with the principles applicable on application for a judicial review.

The Local Authority maintains responsibility for arranging a suitable education from the sixth day of a permanent exclusion, however the school has the responsibility to inform the parent of such arrangements. Therefore any school issuing a permanent exclusion needs to submit a leavers notification form to the Children’s Services Portal. The Inclusion Team will then make contact with parents/carers to inform them of next steps.

The team are also responsible for in-year admissions applications.

Exclusions

Email: exclusions@worcestershire.gov.uk

Fair Access

Email: schooladmissions@worcestershire.gov.uk

In-year admissions will be co-ordinated by the School Admissions Team. Where they identify that an application meets the criteria for FAP and schools have refused places under the normal in-year admissions process, the case will be referred to FAAP of the child’s preferred school/s and also the FAAP where the child resides, if this is different.