1. Purpose
This policy sets out how Evolution Education uses suspension from centre attendance, placement review and, where relevant, permanent exclusion as a last resort, fairly and lawfully, while prioritising safeguarding, continued education and successful transitions.
It has regard to the Department for Education statutory guidance:
Suspension and permanent exclusion from maintained schools, academies and pupil referral units in England, including pupil movement (August 2024)
and to the companion Behaviour in Schools guidance.
The aim is to:
- maintain a safe, respectful learning community;
- exhaust appropriate behaviour support before more serious sanctions;
- make decisions that are lawful, reasonable, fair and proportionate;
- protect the education and welfare of the student and of others;
- work transparently with parents/carers, commissioning schools and local authorities;
- meet Independent School Standards expectations on behaviour, welfare and fairness.
Evolution Education does not operate a “no exclusion” approach as an end in itself. Where risk cannot be managed safely, decisive action may be necessary. The preferred culture is one in which serious sanctions are rarely needed because expectations, relationships and support are strong.
2. Scope and legal status
Who this policy applies to
All students on placement at Evolution Education centres, and all staff and partners involved in behaviour and placement decisions.
Status of Evolution Education
Evolution Education currently delivers commissioned alternative provision. Independent School registration for Evolution Education Limited is in progress. Many students remain dual-registered with a commissioning school and/or under local authority arrangements.
How DfE exclusion law applies
The August 2024 DfE guidance and the School Discipline (Pupil Exclusions and Reviews) (England) Regulations apply to maintained schools, academies and pupil referral units. They do not apply in full to independent schools other than the academy types listed in that guidance.
Evolution Education therefore:
- has regard to the principles and good practice in the DfE guidance;
- follows this policy, commissioning contracts and safeguarding duties;
- recognises that, for dual-registered learners, formal permanent exclusion from education remains the responsibility of the headteacher of the commissioning school, unless otherwise agreed in writing;
- will review and update this policy promptly when Independent School registration is completed and any registration conditions require it.
Where this policy refers to “suspension” or “permanent exclusion from the Centre”, it means Evolution Education’s own disciplinary and placement decisions, which must be coordinated with the commissioner.
3. Definitions
- Suspension: temporary removal from attendance at the Evolution Education Centre for a fixed number of school days (what legislation for maintained settings often calls an exclusion for a fixed period).
- Permanent exclusion from the Centre: a decision that the student may not return to Evolution Education’s provision. For dual-registered students this is treated as ending or withdrawing the Evolution placement and must trigger immediate joint planning with the commissioner for ongoing education. It is not, by itself, a permanent exclusion from the commissioning school’s roll unless that school’s headteacher takes that decision under their own procedures.
- Cancelled suspension / cancelled Centre exclusion: a suspension or Centre exclusion that is withdrawn before it has been fully completed or before any agreed review meeting considering return has concluded.
- Off-site direction / temporary alternative arrangement: a short-term, planned change of setting or provision to improve behaviour and support reintegration, agreed with relevant parties.
- Temporary Placement Withdrawal: an exceptional, short-term withdrawal from on-site Evolution Education attendance pending an emergency placement review, where immediate safety cannot be managed through usual interventions. This is not a formal suspension from education. Continuity of learning is maintained through Purple Ruler and any additional work set. See the Temporary Placement Withdrawal and Emergency Placement Review procedure (effective September 2026), agreed with Local Authority partners.
- Managed move / planned transfer: a voluntary, permanent transfer of placement arranged in the student’s best interests with agreement of parents/carers and the relevant admission authority or commissioner.
- Pupil movement: broader changes of educational setting, including off-site direction, managed moves and transitions into or out of alternative provision, used to prevent escalating exclusion where appropriate.
- Parent: includes carers and others with parental responsibility, as appropriate.
4. Responsibilities
Centre Manager
- May suspend a student from the Centre on disciplinary grounds.
- Ensures decisions are lawful, reasonable, fair and proportionate.
- Applies the civil standard of proof: on the balance of probabilities.
- Informs parents/carers, the commissioning school and, where relevant, the local authority without delay.
- Ensures suitable education or work is arranged during a suspension where appropriate.
- Leads reintegration planning.
Chief Executive Officer / Proprietor
- Must be consulted before any permanent exclusion from the Centre / placement ending on disciplinary grounds.
- Decides permanent exclusion from the Centre with the Centre Manager, having regard to safeguarding, SEND, Equality Act duties and commissioning contracts.
- Ensures governance oversight of patterns of suspension, placement endings and off-site arrangements.
Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) and Deputy DSLs
- Must be consulted where safeguarding concerns, exploitation risk, significant harm, or looked-after / previously looked-after status may be relevant.
- Ensure safeguarding reporting is never delayed because of a behaviour process.
All staff
- Follow the Behaviour for Learning Policy first.
- Do not invent or announce suspensions.
- Record incidents accurately and escalate according to BFL and safeguarding procedures.
Commissioning schools and local authorities
- Retain statutory roles for students who remain on a school roll or under LA duties (including EHC plans, Children Looked After, and formal permanent exclusion from that school).
- Share information and join reintegration / placement review meetings.
5. Prevention and alternatives
Before suspension or permanent exclusion from the Centre, staff and leaders should normally evidence that:
- Behaviour for Learning stages, reasonable adjustments and student support notes / EHCP strategies have been considered;
- mentoring, THRIVE, pastoral support or multi-agency help has been considered where a pattern is emerging;
- the student has been helped to understand expectations;
- less intrusive responses would not adequately protect safety or learning.
Preventive and alternative tools may include (as appropriate and agreed):
- classroom support and the warning pathway;
- Reflection Room and Focus Learning (these are not exclusion);
- behaviour report, behaviour contract and formal review;
- off-site direction or temporary alternative arrangement with a clear purpose, timeline and review;
- managed move / planned transfer where voluntary and in the student’s best interests.
Managed moves must not be used to pressure families or to avoid proper process. Concerns may be raised under the Complaints Policy.
6. When suspension or permanent exclusion from the Centre may be used
Suspension
A suspension may be used for a serious breach or persistent breaches of the Behaviour for Learning Policy, or where allowing the student to remain on site would risk serious harm to the education or welfare of the student or others.
Behaviour outside the Centre can be considered where it affects safety, safeguarding, relationships or the orderly running of the provision.
Suspensions should be for the shortest time needed to protect the community and enable a planned return. Leaders will track the cumulative number of days suspended and keep the commissioner informed. Evolution Education will have regard to the statutory maximum used in maintained settings (45 school days in a single academic year) as a strong upper limit for Centre suspensions unless a commissioner directs otherwise under their own legal duties.
Permanent exclusion from the Centre
Permanent exclusion from the Centre should only be taken:
- in response to a serious breach or persistent breaches of the Behaviour for Learning Policy; and
- where allowing the student to remain would seriously harm the education or welfare of the student or others.
It must involve the CEO, immediate commissioner engagement, and a clear plan for ongoing education. For dual-registered learners, the commissioning school remains responsible for any formal permanent exclusion from that school’s roll.
7. Factors to consider before deciding
Leaders must consider:
- the student’s age and understanding;
- SEND, disability and reasonable adjustments (Equality Act 2010; Children and Families Act 2014 where an EHC plan applies);
- safeguarding information, including whether behaviour is a response to unmet need, bullying, exploitation or trauma;
- whether the student is looked after or previously looked after (Virtual School Head involvement);
- whether a social worker is involved;
- provocation, context, intent, impact and risk;
- previous interventions and their impact;
- proportionality and consistency;
- any protected characteristics (discrimination is prohibited).
Understanding need does not mean ignoring risk. Curiosity and support sit alongside clear safety boundaries.
Parallel police involvement does not automatically prevent a disciplinary decision, but leaders must avoid prejudicing investigations and should seek advice where needed.
8. Procedures
Decision and notification
- Establish facts on the balance of probabilities.
- Consult the DSL where safeguarding may be relevant.
- For permanent exclusion from the Centre, consult and obtain CEO agreement.
- Notify parents/carers without delay, ideally by telephone then confirmed in writing, stating:
- the reasons;
- the length of any suspension (start and end);
- the right to make representations;
- arrangements for education/work during the suspension;
- the reintegration meeting date/time where known;
- how to raise concerns under the Complaints Policy.
- Notify the commissioning school and, where relevant, the local authority, social worker and Virtual School Head the same day.
- Record the decision on approved systems (incident records / CPOMS as appropriate).
Education during suspension
During a suspension, Evolution Education will, so far as practicable and appropriate to the length of suspension:
- set meaningful work aligned to the student’s curriculum;
- maintain safeguarding oversight;
- keep contact with the family and commissioner.
For longer suspensions, leaders will agree with the commissioner how full-time education duties are met under the commissioning arrangement.
Reintegration
After a suspension (including a cancelled suspension), Evolution Education will:
- hold a reintegration meeting before or at the start of return, including parents/carers where possible;
- communicate that the student is valued and that previous behaviour need not block future success;
- agree a short reintegration plan (expectations, support, adjustments, review date);
- not refuse return solely because a parent cannot attend the meeting.
Cancelled suspensions
The Centre Manager (with CEO for permanent Centre exclusion) may cancel a suspension or Centre exclusion that has not yet concluded its formal review stage. Parents/carers, the commissioner and any relevant social worker / VSH must be notified. Days already spent out of school still count toward cumulative suspension totals for that year.
Permanent exclusion from the Centre / placement ending
Where permanent exclusion from the Centre is decided:
- parents/carers and the commissioner are informed the same day in writing;
- Evolution Education supports immediate continuity planning (education, safeguarding, transport, records transfer);
- for dual-registered students, the commissioning school’s exclusion and admissions processes apply to that school’s roll;
- Evolution Education provides evidence packs to support the commissioner’s process where requested and lawful.
9. Representations, review and complaints
Parents/carers and commissioners may make representations about a suspension or Centre exclusion decision to the Centre Manager and, for serious cases, to the CEO via admin@evolution-sportsgroup.com.
Where Independent School registration and any proprietor/governance arrangements create a formal review panel duty, that process will be published and followed. Until then, serious concerns are handled under the Complaints Policy and commissioning contract escalation routes.
Parents should also be directed to local SEND Information, Advice and Support services where relevant.
10. Monitoring
The Leadership Team monitors:
- number, length and reasons for suspensions;
- permanent exclusions from the Centre / placement endings;
- off-site arrangements and managed moves;
- patterns for SEND, looked-after students, ethnicity and other equality groups;
- reintegration success and repeat suspensions;
- safeguarding links.
Findings inform training, Behaviour for Learning practice and school improvement. Patterns are shared with commissioners as appropriate.
11. Review cycle
This policy is reviewed at least annually, or sooner after changes to DfE guidance, legislation, registration status, commissioning requirements or a significant incident.
Last reviewed: August 2026
Next review: August 2027
Approved by: Chief Executive Officer / Proprietor
12. Related policies
- Behaviour for Learning Policy
- Child Protection and Safeguarding Policy
- Attendance Policy
- SEND Policy
- Anti-Bullying Policy
- Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy
- Complaints Policy
- Searching and Screening Policy
- Mentoring Framework
- THRIVE Framework
- Online Safety Policy
13. Legislation and guidance
This policy has regard to:
- Department for Education, Suspension and permanent exclusion from maintained schools, academies and pupil referral units in England, including pupil movement (August 2024);
- Department for Education, Behaviour in Schools guidance;
- Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014;
- Keeping Children Safe in Education (latest DfE edition);
- Working Together to Safeguard Children;
- Equality Act 2010;
- Children and Families Act 2014 (where EHC plans apply);
- Data Protection Act 2018 and UK GDPR;
- School Attendance (Pupil Registration) (England) Regulations 2024 (as relevant to register coding and pupil movement with commissioners).
Where Independent School registration is completed, this policy will be reviewed against registration conditions and any updated DfE requirements for independent schools.