# Exclusions Policy



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**This document should be read in conjunction with the following school policies:**&#x20;

* **Behaviour Policy**
* **Anti-Bullying Policy**


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Kaleide International School is committed to creating a caring environment for students where diversity is valued and equality of opportunity is promoted. We aim to treat all students, parents and staff fairly, with empathy and respect, and encourage them to contribute to the best of their abilities. This policy is applicable to all pupils including those in Early Years.

The school recognises that it is unlawful to take into account anyone's gender, marital status, colour, race, nationality, ethnic or national origin, disability, religious beliefs, age, or sexual orientation. Full consideration has been given to this during the formulation of the above policy as it is our aim that no-one at Kaleide International School should suffer discrimination, either directly or indirectly, or harassment on any of these grounds.

No exclusion will be initiated without first exhausting other strategies or, in the case of a serious single incident, a thorough investigation.

Therefore, we acknowledge that a pupil will only be excluded following serious or persistent breaches of discipline, or if the safety of pupils and school personnel would be harmed if the pupil remained in the school.

## Excluding a child for behavioural reasons

Excluding a child from school for behavioural reasons should only be a last resort measure.&#x20;

It is the decision of the Director whether or not to exclude a child permanently from school. Before the decision is made, there must be evidence of appropriate steps being taken in accordance with a human scale education approach including the following:&#x20;

* restorative justice and mediation process;
* consultation with the School Meeting;
* consultation with the pedagogical team, as well as good ongoing communication with the parent(s).

The school does not resort to temporary exclusions.

### Restorative Justice

This process enables the offender to redress the harm that has been done to a victim and enables all parties involved to participate fully in the process. It is used to resolve situations that could otherwise have resulted in exclusion.

### Mediation

This is a process whereby a third party, usually a facilitator or another student, is used to resolve conflict between two parties (e.g. a student and a teacher or two students).

## The decision to exclude

A pupil may be permanently excluded if all other strategies have failed and the student continues to be persistently disruptive, or the offence was a serious one-off offence such as:

* serious, actual or threatened, violence against another child or a member of the school staff;
* sexual abuse or assault;
* supplying or using an illegal drug;
* carrying an offensive weapon;
* or any other serious offence.

If the decision is taken to exclude a child permanently, the Director will:

* ensure that there is sufficient recorded evidence to support the decision;
* explain the decision to the child;
* contact the parents, explain the decision to them and ask that the child be collected;
* send a letter to the parents confirming the reasons for the exclusion;

## Liaison with Parents

Every effort will be made to seek parental cooperation at all stages.

### Excluding a family for reasons of adverse parental/adult behaviour

Excluding a family from school for adverse parental behaviour reasons should only be a step of last resort. A family may be permanently excluded if all other strategies have failed and the family persists in their inappropriate behaviour.

#### Behavioural Incidents&#x20;

In order to support a respectful, peaceful and safe school environment, the following will not be acceptable:&#x20;

* Conduct which undermines the respectful, safe and calm environment in school, either in the school premises, around the school site, immediately outside the school or anywhere the school is being represented (sports and educational fixtures/school journey/day trips etc.).&#x20;
* Using loud or offensive language, such as swearing.&#x20;
* Displaying an unacceptable amount of anger and aggression.&#x20;
* Threatening physical violence to a member of the school community.&#x20;
* Damaging school or personal property.&#x20;
* Abusive telephone calls, emails, letters or other forms of written communication.&#x20;
* Defamatory comments about school staff, proprietors or other parents on social media sites.&#x20;
* The use of physical or verbal aggression towards another adult or child.&#x20;
* This includes physical punishment of one’s own child.&#x20;
* Approaching someone else’s child in order to chastise them.&#x20;

Any example of such behaviour shall, for the purposes of this policy, constitute a “Behavioural Incident”. If any such incidents are reported by a parent to the school, but haven’t been witnessed by a member of staff, evidence will be required to substantiate these claims.&#x20;

It is the decision of the Director whether or not to exclude a family. There must be evidence of appropriate steps being taken to inform the parents of how the school deals with inappropriate behaviour and to seek their collaboration. The decision to exclude a family will only be taken after attempts to obtain the family’s cooperation have failed. A letter, confirming the reasons for the exclusion, will be sent by the Director. The school will be entitled to keep the deposit paid by the family, according to the School Contract.

### Behaviour outside school

The child’s behaviour outside school on school trips, etc., is subject to the school's Behaviour policy. Unacceptable behaviour in such circumstances will be dealt with as if it had taken place in school. See Anti-Bullying Policy.

### Excluding a child from school for non-payment of fees

In the event of arrears exceeding two months’ fees (based on fees for the current term at their current band/rate) the child(ren) will be excluded from school until payment is made. The Director will advise the parent that their child(ren) cannot return to school until payment is made to ensure that remaining outstanding arrears are less than two months’ fees.&#x20;

Should payment not be forthcoming, the child's exclusion will become permanent, and the parents will become liable for two months’ fees in addition to losing the deposit. The Director will inform the parent/s of the child(ren)'s exclusion.

## Managed move

In cases where the Pedagogical Team, the Director and the parents agree that the school has not been able to adapt to the child's needs and that he or she is unwilling or unable to profit from the educational opportunities offered at Kaleide International School, or if a parent has treated the school or members of its staff unreasonably, the decision may be taken to ask parents to remove the child by the end of term.

## Removal from the school for other reasons

The Director may send a child home, after consultation with that child's parents and a health professional as appropriate, if the child poses an immediate and serious risk to the health and safety of other children and staff, for example because of a diagnosed illness such as a notifiable disease.

This is NOT an exclusion and should be for the shortest possible time.\
