Primary school pupil suspensions in England double in a decade

Lydia says her six-year-old son, Eddie, has been suspended from primary school 14 times since January.

She says the incidents – which included lashing out at staff – are related to his autism, which was recently diagnosed.

She says his self-esteem was “hugely impacted” by the suspensions: “At that age you don’t understand, you just think you’re bad.”

Eddie has moved to a different, smaller school, while Lydia applies for an EHCP for him.

Former children’s commissioner for England, Anne Longfield, acknowledges the pressure schools are under – recent research suggests a third of children starting primary school are not “school-ready”, external – but says excluding primary-age children should be a last resort.

Ms Longfield says a “culture of exclusions” over the last decade has been driven by an “emphasis on academic achievement and grades”.

To bring suspension and exclusion rates down, she believes the focus should be on other interventions, such as one-to-one teaching where needed.

Schools in England could soon be judged on how inclusive they are and how well they support vulnerable children, under changes to inspection which Ofsted will consult on early next year.

The Education Minister Stephen Morgan told the BBC the government is already investing £1 billion in Send and providing access to specialist mental health professionals in every school.

He said: “We know there is more to do, and are looking closely at how we can go further to support teachers and drive up standards for all our children.”