Promoting inclusion - the three-stage approach and managed transfers
This guidance is intended to compliment the three-stage approach to managing attendance issues detailed above. In many cases, both attendance and inclusion issues will need to be considered by professionals in parallel, and assessments and plans coordinated to address these concerns in a holistic way.
Duty to inform the local authority of exclusions
In September 2022, the DfE updated statutory guidance relating to suspension and permanent exclusion, requires:
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when headteachers suspend or permanently exclude a pupil, they must also notify the local authority, without delay, regardless of the length of a suspension
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if a pupil has a social worker, or if a pupil is looked after, the headteacher must now, also without delay after their decision, notify the social worker and/or virtual school headteacher, as applicable
Please note that these requirements must be met irrespective of which agency has lead responsibility or whether, in the view of the school and others, intervention and support from the local authority is required.
The Southwark Safeguarding Children Board Multi-agency Threshold of Need 2019 edition clearly sets out the level at which inclusion concerns meet the threshold for statutory intervention from children’s social care. Although professional guidance must always be applied, as a broad guide, the three stages of inclusion action correspond to tiers two to four on the threshold of need as follows:
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Tier 1 |
Tier 2 |
Tier 3 |
Tier 4 |
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The child engages in age appropriate activities and displays age appropriate behaviours and self- control |
The child is at risk of becoming involved in negative behaviour/activities, for example crime or substance misuse, or the child displays early involvement in negative activities |
The child is becoming involved in negative behaviour/activities, for example, non-school attendance, crime or substance misuse. The child may be excluded |
The child frequently exhibits negative behaviour or activities that place self or others at imminent risk, including chronic non-school attendance. Child may be permanently excluded or not in education |
|
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Stage one - Early Identification of risk of exclusion |
Stage two - Risk of permanent exclusion |
Stage three -Reintegration following permanent exclusion |
Page last updated: 20 January 2023
