Head teachers should use exclusions sparingly and reluctantly; you should see it as a last resort, and many head teachers view any exclusion they make as a failure on the school’s part. However, it’s usually the case that the exclusion of a child is the only action left available.

Sometimes, parents challenge a head teacher’s decision to exclude. So, understandably, head teachers might feel a little unsure about the legal safety of any exclusion they’re considering.

The scenarios below are to give you a sense as to when a decision to exclude would be right or wrong. Read through them and decide what you would do in each case.

There then follows the advice you would receive from us regarding each case for you to compare with your thinking.