Excluded pupils to be included in schools’ grade profiles

New regulations from the government’s alternative provision (AP) reforms directs that schools will be held accountable for the achievement of pupils they exclude until the child has been accepted at another mainstream school.

The news comes after a report by the Centre for High Performance found that some academy trusts exclude pupils to improve the overall performance of the school’s grade statistics.

However, the new rules mean that if a pupil remains in AP, their grades will still be counted in the excluding school’s performance results. The reforms also state that tailored plans must be created for every pupil in AP education.

Tracy Pepper, education director at AP provider Catch22, said: “It is our view that every child belongs in mainstream [education], but unless the mainstream model changes to accommodate a broader range of needs, there will always be a need for AP.

“This report acknowledges this need but we would like to see greater emphasis on the value good AP can provide. Commissioning better quality AP is a no-brainer.”