BYERS ANNOUNCES ACTION TO STOP SCHOOLS USING EXCLUSIONS TO ENHANCE PERFORMANCE TABLE SCORES
The School Standards Minister and head of the cross-departmental Ministerial Taskforce on Truancy and School Exclusions, Stephen Byers, announced today that the Government is to consult on proposed changes to school performance tables to prevent schools from using exclusion to improve their score in the tables.
The Government is consulting on the proposal that any pupil excluded during the final two years before the date on which they would have taken their GCSEs shall continue to count on the roll of the school carrying out the exclusion for the purpose of the performance tables.
Stephen Byers said,
"There is concern that some schools might be excluding pupils in order to improve the school's position in the performance tables.
In adopting such an approach schools not only damage the future prospects of the individual excluded but also mislead parents and the public about the quality of education being provided at the school in question.
Firm action will be taken to stop such abuses of the system. Exclusions in such circumstances damage the children concerned and deceive parents and the public.
We believe that our proposal strikes the right balance between the correct use of exclusion to defend the interests of the majority of children from disruption and the protection of the individual who on occasion can be the innocent victims of the abuse of the power of exclusion by a school."