What are suspension and permanent exclusion?

Suspension and permanent exclusion are the most serious sanctions a school can use. In England, the Department for Education’s statutory guidance says permanent exclusion should only be used as a last resort. The decision must be lawful, reasonable, fair and proportionate, and parents must be told the reasons. The governing board must consider reinstatement in certain cases, and parents can ask an independent review panel to review a permanent exclusion.

In England, suitable full-time education must be arranged from the sixth school day of a suspension of more than five days, or after a permanent exclusion. For suspensions this is arranged by the school; after a permanent exclusion it is the local authority’s duty. This is often where alternative provision and pupil referral units come in. Updated guidance came into force on 26 July 2026, so make sure you are using the current version.

England and Wales

England now uses the term “suspension” for what used to be called a fixed-period exclusion. Wales still uses “fixed-term exclusion” and has its own Welsh Government guidance on exclusion from schools and pupil referral units, with different procedures and timescales.

Why it matters for your setting

• Many pupils referred to alternative provision have been suspended or excluded, and you may be the sixth-day provision.
• Knowing a pupil’s exclusion history helps you plan support and manage risk.
• Accurate attendance and progress records help reviews and any later return to school.

How PupilDB helps

PupilDB records each pupil’s referring agency and local authority, and the referral report gives you a clear view of who has been referred and by whom. Placements record the reason, such as a permanent exclusion, and the outcomes report shows how many pupils went back into mainstream education.