Exclusions

Arrangements for Exclusion

Ashton on Mersey School Sixth Form aims to provide a stimulating environment that maximises the individual potential and varied abilities and attitudes to learning of our students. We aim to provide a broad, balanced, relevant and challenging curriculum. We aim to provide a happy, healthy and safe sixth form taking care to balance the needs of all members of the sixth form community and securing inclusive education for all our students.

The Sixth Form has an excellent behaviour record and expects and sets the very highest standards from all its students. On the few occasions where poor behaviour is witnessed the Sixth Form works quickly with a range of stakeholders to address the issue, ensure any consequences and sanctions are appropriate/fair and works to get the child back into lessons as quickly as possible.

In any circumstances where it becomes necessary to take disciplinary action we follow our behaviour policy for guidance. As part of our disciplinary sanctions there is on occasion a need to employ fixed term exclusion.

Exclusions would normally be used:

• For a major first offence, such as serious actual or threatened violence, abuse or assault, supplying banned substances e.g. cigarettes or carrying an offensive weapon.
• Where allowing a student to remain in school would be seriously detrimental to the education of other pupils, to the welfare of other students, staff or the student him/herself.
• More usually it follows a series of breaches of the Sixth Form’s rules and after a range of strategies to resolve the students disciplinary problems have been tried and have failed.
• When behaviour of students outside Sixth Form is such that it can be considered as grounds for exclusion and compromises the expectations and standards set.

The number of days given for the Fixed Term Exclusion is dependent upon the nature of the offence and whether the student concerned has incurred previous exclusions or other sanctions.

A phone call is made as soon as possible to discuss the situation with parents/carers and this is followed by a letter detailing the reason for the exclusion and the length of the exclusion. Work will be made available for the parents/carers to collect on behalf of the student. Students are asked to attend a readmittance meeting with parents/carers on their return to Sixth Form.

In more extreme cases the Sixth Form may issue a permanent exclusion. We follow statutory guidance which sets out reasons why it would normally be inappropriate to reinstate a student. These are:

• Serious actual or threatened violence against another student or member of staff
• Sexual abuse or assault
• Supplying illegal drugs
• Persistent and malicious disruptive behaviour, including open defiance or refusal to conform to Sixth Form rules

When a decision has been made to permanently exclude a student a letter will be sent to parents/carers that will explain the reasons for a permanent exclusion.