Nick Gibb got it wrong that judging schools on the education outcomes of students they have moved on could help tackle the rising number of school children being excluded. Gibb was giving evidence into the inquiry into alternative provision when he responded to a question by the chair of the education select committee, Robert Halfon, whether schools should be partially responsible for the future outcomes of the pupils they exclude. He replied ”I think there is a case for that”. However, the only case for that arises where it is possible to show that the exclusions of pupils in schools were wrong or unreasonable. Otherwise, it will be a poor recommendation coming from the education department.
Let’s assume the education minister, Gibbs, and the chair of the education select committee were talking about wrong exclusions. Because that is the only scenario in which the suggestion can carry any weight.
Official permanent exclusions have risen by 44 per cent since 2012/13. An average of 35 children are excluded from school every day in the UK. Concerns have been expressed about children being removed from schools through informal methods known as ”off rolling”, to improve exam results which reflect on a school’s academic performance.
Gibb is mistaken in his view that teachers should be held responsible for academic results of pupils they exclude. The focus is in the wrong areas. Gibbs should be focusing more on the reasons pupils are excluded from school instead of holding schools to account for exclusions. Research conducted by The Eye Of Media.Com in the last year show that many schools find badly behaved children a heavy problem to deal with, and children who pose such a burden should rightly be excluded. Pupils who know what actions could lead to exclusion should behave properly in school.
Provided exclusions are given by schools for the right reasons, it would be ridiculous to hold schools responsible for those pupils who have been excluded. The pupils themselves are responsible for their exclusion and any bad exam results that may be connected with their absence from school during periods in which they have been excluded. If the pupils are serious students, they will continue to work privately at home or collaborate with their friends at school to ensure they don’t fall behind.
