Preventative Measures to School Exclusion

Our vision as a District is to work collaboratively to promote a great start in life and improved life chances for every child and young person.

The No Need to Exclude - A Positive Behaviour Management Strategy  provides a directory of approaches and interventions, which we encourage and support our schools to consider. Our specific strategy is to work towards the position where the needs of all young people are addressed, and where schools no longer feel the need to permanently exclude given the continuum of provision and support available to enable them to meet pupil needs. 

Support for Schools

Additional support to schools for pupils at risk of exclusion can be made to the Social Communication, Interaction and Learning  Team 

https://bso.bradford.gov.uk/content/scil-team, Skills 4 Bradford

Educational Psychology Team https://bso.bradford.gov.uk/schools/CMSPage.aspx?mid=166, 

Secondary schools can also seek support and advice from their behaviour and attendance collaborative (BAC) https://bso.bradford.gov.uk/content/behaviour-and-attendance-collaboratives.

Behind the Blade Educational Knife Crime Prevention Programme. The programme is aimed at young people aged 10 to 17 who are at risk of, or involved in, knife related behaviour to reduce their risk and divert from offending behaviours.

Behaviour in schools: advice for headteachers and school staff

Where a school has serious concerns about a pupil’s behaviour, it should consider whether a multi-agency assessment such as an early help assessment or statutory assessment that goes beyond the pupil’s educational needs is required (see guidance Working together to safeguard children).

Behaviour in schools - Preventative Measures to School Exclusion

Paragraphs 31 and 32 of the exclusion and suspension guidance 2022 sets out that, in addition to the strategies set out in initial intervention, page 29 of the Behaviour in Schools guidance, headteachers should also consider the following: a) an off-site direction (temporary measure that maintained schools and academies for similar purposes can use) or b) managed moves (permanent measure) as preventative measures to exclusion.

Any use of AP should be based on an understanding of the support a child or young person needs in order to improve their behaviour, as well as any SEND or health needs. Off-site direction may only be used as a way to improve future behaviour and not as a sanction or punishment for past misconduct. Off-site direction should only be used where in-school interventions and/or outreach have been unsuccessful or are deemed inappropriate and should only be used to arrange a temporary stay in AP.

Direction Off-Site to Another Educational Provision  

Off-site direction is when a governing board of a maintained school requires a pupil to attend another education setting to improve their behaviour as set out in Section 29A Education Act 2002 and further defined in the Education (Educational Provision for Improving Behaviour) Regulations 2010 & The Education (Educational Provision for Improving Behaviour) (Amendment) Regulations 2012. It is often used when a pupil is at risk of permanent exclusion and parental consent is not required, however, it makes sense for it to be a collaborative process so far as is reasonably practicable.

Whilst the legislation does not apply to academies, they can arrange off-site provision for such purposes under their general powers. Where interventions or targeted support have not been successful in improving a pupil’s behaviour, off-site direction should be used to arrange time-limited placements at an AP or another mainstream school. Depending on the individual needs and circumstances of the pupil, off-site direction into alternative provision can be full-time or a combination of part-time support in alternative provision and continued mainstream education. A proposed maximum period of time should be discussed and agreed upon as part of the planning phase for an off-site direction.

During the off-site direction to another school, a pupil must be recorded in the attendance register using code D. This code is used to indicate that the pupil is absent with leave to attend the other school at which they are registered. Further information on how schools record pupils who are absent from the school site for certain educational activities or to attend other schools or settings can be found in the attendance guidance: Working together to improve school attendance.

The following individuals must have regard to the Alternative Provision: Statutory guidance for local authorities, headteachers and governing bodies

• a local authority arranging suitable education under section 19 of the Education Act 1996;

• the governing body of a maintained school making or reviewing an off-site direction under section 29A; and

• the governing body or academy trust of a maintained school, academy school or AP academy arranging suitable education for a suspended pupil under section 100 of the Education and Inspections Act 2006.

Direction off-site for the improvement of behaviour guidance to schools

Bradford Alternative Provision 3-Tier Model of Support

AP Support falls into three distinct levels and Bradford recognises that each plays a crucial role in supporting students who require an alternative form of education. These levels include:

Tier 1: Targeted Support in Mainstream Schools for Key Stages 3 & 4

• At this level, efforts are focused on providing additional support within mainstream schools to prevent exclusion or address early signs of disengagement.
• Strategies may include personalized interventions, mentoring, and counseling.
• The goal is to keep students within the mainstream educational environment whenever possible.

Note - Tier 1 is for secondary school aged pupils in KS 3/4 and does not include Post 16

In addition to targeted support in mainstream schools, which  will be referrals to other agencies within the schools' graduated support response, for example, Social, Communiction, Interaction and learning Team (SCIL), Education Pyschology (EP), Early Help referrals, work that could be requested via referral for AP specialist taskforce at tier 1 or 2 could include:

Tier 2: Time-Limited Placements for key stage 1, 2, 3, 4

• When students face challenges that cannot be fully addressed within mainstream schools, they may transition to alternative provision settings.
• These placements are typically time-limited and designed to provide specialised support.
• Students receive tailored education and interventions to help them overcome barriers and eventually reintegrate into mainstream education.

Note - Tier 2 is for primary & secondary aged children in year's 1-11, and does not include reception or post 16

Tier 3: Transitional Placements

• Tier 3 involves more intensive and longer-term placements in alternative provision.
• Students who have experienced significant difficulties, such as exclusion or complex social, emotional, or mental health needs, benefit from this level.
• The focus is on holistic support, skill development, and preparing students for successful reintegration into mainstream schools or other appropriate settings.

These three tiers collectively contribute to a comprehensive alternative provision model, ensuring that students receive the necessary support based on their unique needs and circumstances. 

AP panel is held every 2nd Thursday, dates for 2025-2026  panel are below. Please ensure referrals are made by midday the Monday prior to Panel to be heard at that weeks' Panel:

Thur 18th Sept, 2nd Oct, 16th Oct, 6th Nov, 20th Nov, 4th Dec, 18th Dec, 8th Jan 2026, 22nd Jan, 5th Feb, 26th Feb, 12th Mar, 26th Mar, 16th April, 30th April, 14th May, 4th June, 18th June, 2nd July, 16th July

Please note that tier 2 places are only available when the AP has places available. If Tier 3 places are required by the LA due to school exclusions, then it may be necessary that tier 2 places may have to close early.

The following link will take you to the Local Offer which has information and referrals forms for the AP 3-Tier model in bradford including a list of AP providers: Alternative Provision in Bradford on the Local Offer.

Managed moves

A managed move is used to initiate a process which leads to the transfer of a pupil to another mainstream school permanently. Managed moves should only occur when it is in the pupil’s best interests and should be voluntary and agreed with all parties involved, including the parents and the admission authority of the new school. If a temporary dual registered move needs to occur to improve a pupil’s behaviour, then off-site direction should be used. 

Managed moves should be offered as part of a planned intervention. The original school should be able to evidence that appropriate initial intervention has been carried out, including, where relevant, multi-agency support, or any statutory assessments were done or explored prior to a managed move.

The managed move should be preceded by information sharing between the original school and the new school, including data on prior and current attainment, academic potential, a risk assessment and advice on effective risk management strategies. It is also important for the new school to ensure that the pupil is provided with an effective integration strategy.

Schools should not use a ‘trial period’ or ‘trial admission’ for managed moves, as a managed move is a permanent move to another school.

If the pupil has an EHC plan, schools should contact the local authority prior to the move and if the local authority, both schools and you are in agreement that there should be a managed move, the local authority will need to follow the process for changing an EHC plan.

Pupil Support Units

A pupil support unit is a planned intervention occurring in small groups and in place of mainstream lessons. The purpose of this unit can be two-fold:

a) as a planned intervention for behavioural or pastoral reasons

b) as a final preventative measure to support pupils at risk of exclusion.

In both circumstances, the underlying ambition should be to improve behaviour and maintain learning with the goal to successfully reintegrate pupils into mainstream lessons. The approach in the unit should be aligned to the culture of the whole school and compatible with the school’s behaviour policy.

Reintegration

Schools should have a strategy for reintegrating pupils following removal from the classroom, time spent in a pupil support unit, in another setting under off-site direction or following suspension. This may involve reintegration meetings between the school, pupils, parents and, if relevant, other agencies. Schools should consider what support is needed to help the pupil return to mainstream education and meet the expected standards of behaviour.