Pupil exclusion figures are on the rise but ‘school budgets are at breaking point’

Recent figures reported by the BBC show that secondary school pupil exclusions have risen by almost 20,000 between 2014 and 2016, with the North East of the country presenting the highest rates.

Ofsted are set to write to school Headteachers to ask why this is the case but secondary leaders will be responding with a familiar problem.

Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the NAHT, explained: “This is an area where prevention is better than cure but school budgets are at breaking point so many of the measures that schools take to ensure good behaviour and adequate support for pupils are under threat.”

He added that “schools need support from services around them.” Such support can come from Evolve Health Mentors who are deployed in schools to provide the time and expertise to assist ‘troubled’ students and help them integrate back into the classroom.

With CAMHS struggling to cope with the high numbers of mental health referrals and teachers snowed under by an alarming workload that does not look set to ease with the current recruitment crisis, many schools are turning to Evolve provision for pupil support. Health Mentors are specially trained on a Level 4 course in association with Newman University and new recruits have spent time during half-term being trained up this week.

Paul Whiteman adds that the key to supporting students is understanding and working on problems as early as possible. “The issues that underpin exclusions reach far beyond the school gates, so schools need access to expert resources to help them identify at an early stage those students who need more help.”

With both a primary (Project HE:RO) and secondary school (LEAP) programme, Evolve Health Mentors are well positioned to support students from the first sign of concern. To find out more information, visit www.evolvesi.com or contact Josh Cronin by email on josh@evolvesi.com.