Education Inclusion Service

The Education Inclusion Service provides a statutory, but impartial service for parents and carers, school governors, headteachers, school staff and other agencies about inclusion, reintegration and exclusion.

Early support from the team can help a child to stay in school, or return to school after an exclusion and offer opportunities to help them achieve their full potential. We aim to promote, support and encourage continuous learning and achievement for every child referred to us.

To contact the Inclusion Service, please email educate.educationinclusion-mailbox@devon.gov.uk.

Information specifically for schools can be found here.

Parents and carers

You should be fully aware of the reason(s) that your child has been excluded from school.

Only the headteacher can exclude your child (which must be for a serious breach of the school’s behaviour policy) and the information about the exclusion should be given to you on the day of exclusion clearly stating the:

reason for the exclusion
duration of the exclusion
reintegration date or time
school work that is being set

Please be aware that if the exclusion is over 5 days then the school must make arrangements for full-time education to be provided. Copies of the letters that schools use can be found on this website.

If your child is permanently excluded then after six days Devon County Council will provide education, but prior to that, the school will set work.

You will have a right to challenge the headteacher’s decision in front of three impartial governors. Support can be requested at the meeting from the School Exclusion Project who may be able to send a trainee barrister or solicitor to support you.

You can also seek support from DiAS (Devon Information Advice and Support) who provide information, advice and support for children, young people and their families about special educational needs and disability (SEND). This is a statutory (legally required) service that must be provided by law. Every local authority in England has this type of service and what they provide is shaped by chapter 2 of the SEND Code of Practice and the National Quality Standards for IASS services.

Your inclusion officer will work closely with you to identify a new school as swiftly as possible, and to ensure that education is in place.

Support for pupils with health needs

We work with schools to support children who cannot attend school on a full-time basis because of their health needs. You can read more about the Education Wellbeing Team and what they do here.

You might also want to read Devon’s policy on education for children with additional health needs.

More information

Information and advice for all ages from babies to young adults – HappyMaps

Worried about your child’s behaviour or mental health and not sure what’s normal? Wondering whether to see your GP?

Perhaps you’ve been referred to specialist services but there is a long wait or perhaps you’ve been told the problem isn’t quite serious enough to be referred. HappyMaps is an award-winning charity developed by healthcare professionals with help from parents and young people.

Social workers

Inclusion officers will work closely to support social workers ensuring that children and young people are in suitable education.

Close working links also exist with area learning advocates from the Virtual School to ensure that children in care are in school and making expected progress in their learning.

No child in the care of Devon County Council should be permanently excluded and there is a protocol in place in Devon that should be implemented.

Inclusion officers also support social workers undertaking single assessments, where they are working with children and young people as a ‘child in need’ or on a child protection plan.

Apply for an Independent Review Panel hearing

If your child has been permanently excluded and this decision has been upheld by the governing board you can apply for an Independent Review Panel (IRP) hearing to review this decision by the governing board.

The IRP can either:

uphold the governors’ decision
recommend that the governors reconsider their decision, or
‘quash’ the decision (reject it because it is invalid) and direct governors to reconsider

The panel cannot automatically reinstate your child.

If you wish to apply for an IRP hearing please complete the application to review the governors’ decision to permanently exclude a pupil.

This must be received within 15 school days of you being notified of the governing board’s decision. If it is not received within this deadline the IRP cannot legally convene to hear your case.

For further information on the Independent Review Panel process please contact appeals@devon.gov.uk.