Advice on Preparing your Representation

When thinking about your questions and concerns start with a bullet point list of the things you want to highlight or ask about. When making this list consider:

• How your child has been impacted and gain their views too.
  
  
• The statutory duties exclusions (check the statutory guidance from DfE).

Department for Education Suspension and Permanent Exclusions Guidance

• Reading through the school’s evidence about the incident/s and support in place & identify any gaps or discrepancies in information. For example, what was put in place to help your child manage their feelings and behaviour, and was this having any impact?
  
  
• Reading the schools’ behaviour policy as this may help you identify some further questions. For example, was the exclusion in accordance with their policy

Department for Education Behaviour in Schools Advice

• Whether the agreed support was in place at the time of the incident/s. Check support plan, (such as a One Plan). If unclear look at the schools’ SEN Policy or SEN Information Report to find out what their process is for reviewing progress/support & involving parents.
  
  
• What other options were open to school and, where you feel another option would have been more appropriate, why. You can check the schools’ own website for support options (SEN policy & SEN Information report), also the Essex Local Offer.
  
  
• Reading through any specialist reports for details of recommended strategies.
  
  
• Any information or circumstances the Head Teacher was not aware of (don’t wait for the meeting in this case - get in touch with the Head Teacher as soon as you learn of the exclusion).
  
  
• Whether you feel the Head Teacher took into account your child’s SEND and/or made ‘reasonable adjustments’.
  
  
• Whether you feel the Head Teacher has considered what further assessment or support might be needed to identify and address your child’s needs, in order to reduce their risk of exclusion.
  
  
• If your child has an EHC plan, was the Annual Review brought forward and were any changes to support implemented?

Evidence might include:

• School progress reports & support plans such as One Plans/Pupil Passports, meeting notes or written strategies etc.
  
  
• Home to school record book (where one is in place) or incident reports.
  
  
• Any relevant meeting notes from professional meetings eg. Team Around the Family.
  
  
• Reports from an educational specialist, for example an educational psychologist, inclusion partner, or the local authority recommendations etc.
  
  
• Reports/letters from health, for example school or specialist nursing services, paediatrician, speech & language, occupational or sensory therapists, wellbeing or mental health services including clinical psychologist etc.
  
  
• Education, Health & Care plan (where one is in place), including Annual Review paperwork.
  
  
• Individual Health Care plan (where one is in place).
  
  
• General guidance in the public domain, for example as provided by Essex in their local offer, the school’s own website, the Department for Education statutory guidance & related law, the NHS, Council for disabled children (CDC) or from organisations such the National Autistic Society etc.