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Runnymede comments on shocking school exclusions statistic
21 March 2012
Runnymede has commented on the finding of the Office of the Children’s Commissioner that Black Caribbean boys with special educational needs and on free school meals are 168 times more likely to be excluded from school than a middle class White girl without special educational needs.
Runnymede's Senior Policy and Research Analyst Debbie Weekes-Bernard said: "This is a shocking statistic which demonstrates the urgent need for government action to help tackle disproportionally in exclusions. For years Black boys have been more likely to be excluded than other groups, and this new statistic shows that this inequality is even more extreme when looking at the most vulnerable Black children.
"Exclusion can have a devastating impact on a pupil's chances - excluded pupils are 4 times more likely to finish their education without gaining any academic qualifications. The fact that an entire group is being impacted on in this way is extremely worrying
"In addition, the report's inclusion of anecdotal evidence that schools continue to illegally exclude is, whilst not new, extremely concerning.
"In light of the reports findings, we urge the government to re-think its decision to prevent appeals panels from reinstating pupils who have been found to be unjustly excluded".
Read the Office of the Children’s Commissioner school exclusions inquiry report
Read Runnymede’s report on exclusions: “Did They Get it Right? A Re-examination of School Exclusions and Race Equality”
