Suspensions may be used as a clear signal that a child or young person's behaviour is unacceptable.

Schools should publish information about when a suspension will be used. You should be able to find this information in the school's behaviour policy on their website

The school remain responsible for your child's education for the first 5 days of the suspension. This means they should send work home and ensure it is marked during the first 5 days of the suspension.

You and your child will be invited to a reintegration meeting.

You and your child should be invited to a reintegration meeting on your child's first day back at school.

If you are unable to attend the meeting on the first day, your child should still be allowed to attend school.

The purpose of the meeting is to discuss the incident which led to the suspensions and what additional support can be put in place to prevent further suspensions in the future.

This is where a school sends a child home without formally recording it as a suspension.

School may send a child home or ask you to pick them up if they are dysregulated.

If school do not record this, it could be unlawful.

If school asks you to pick your child up early from school, you do not have to unless they are issuing a formal suspension

The decision to exclude a pupil permanently should only be taken:

• in response to a serious or persistent breaches of the school's behaviour policy; and

• where allowing a pupil to remain in school would seriously harm the education or welfare of the pupil or others, such as staff or visitors to the school.

The school remain responsible for your child's education for the first 5 days.

After this time, the responsibility passes to the local authority.

The school governing body should meet to consider whether to reinstate the pupil within 15 days of the permanent exclusions.

You and your child should be invited to the meeting and will be given the chance to put forward your views.

If the governing body decide to uphold the exclusion, you have the right to appeal this decision to an independent review panel (IRP)

You may be able to complain to the Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) tribunal if you believe that your child has been excluded because of their disability.

Complain about a school: Disability discrimination - GOV.UK

The SEND4A form is used to make a disability discrimination claim . It's specifically for parents or guardians who believe their child has been discriminated against by a school due to their disability. The form requires detailed information about the child's disability, how it impacts their daily life, and the specific instances of alleged discrimination.

SEND4A form

Only the headteacher has the authority to issue a suspension or permanent exclusion

Yes, schools are allowed to suspend or exclude a child for behaviour which occurred outside of school hours and/or off school premises