Education secretary Jenny Gilruth has today confirmed that the Scottish government will review Scotland’s approach to school exclusions.
The number of exclusions has dropped markedly in recent years as restorative approaches have come to be favoured in Scottish schools.
However, recent concerns about rising levels of dangerous behaviour in schools have led critics to call for a firmer commitment to excluding pupils in response to violent behaviour.
The matter arose again during a Conservative-led parliamentary debate on violence in schools this afternoon, after Ms Gilruth had told The Sunday Times that teachers must know that the option of exclusion is available.
Today in the Scottish Parliament, she emphasised her commitment to restorative justice practices and flagged up the upcoming publication on a national plan on behaviour this spring.
“I think it’s important to say that restorative practices are part of a relational approach, and that has been proven to have impact in relation to preventative action that teachers can take,” she said.
Violence in schools: review of exclusions policy
However, when pressed by Liam Kerr, the Scottish Conservatives’ shadow education secretary, for her stance on exclusions, in light of her comments at the weekend, Ms Gilruth said: “But we also, I think, need a modern approach to consequences.
“That’s what the national action plan will set out. Within that context I give Mr Kerr an undertaking that the wider work…through the national action plan, will consider a review of the exclusions policy that is currently in place in our schools.”
Willie Rennie, the Scottish Liberal Democrats’ education spokesperson, said an exclusions review would be a “step in the right direction”, adding: “Exclusion should not be excluded - it should be a consideration.”
Mr Kerr opened this afternoon’s debate by referencing a survey of 800 teachers in Aberdeen by the EIS teaching union, in which one-third said they had been physically assaulted at work, including a pregnant woman who had been hospitalised following a pupil attack.
The Conservatives also cited several other cases of violence in Scottish schools, including a primary pupil who wielded a hammer at school and a primary teacher who was left with life-changing disability and unable to hold her baby after being attacked in the classroom.
“Nothing has changed” in nearly a year since concerns about serious violence were raised in the Scottish Parliament, the Conservatives said today.
Gender-based violence
Although there was praise in Parliament for the Scottish government’s action this week on gender-based violence in schools, there was also puzzlement as to why the more general issue of violence in schools had not yet been addressed so decisively.
Opposition MSPs cited the lack of a formal published response from the Scottish government to a series of “behaviour summits” held in recent months, with a preliminary plan from Ms Gilruth in November dismissed as vague and insubstantial.
They also pointed to a sharp rise in staff mental health absence and suggested that violence was a major factor in this.
“For every moment that nothing is done, our kids and our teachers are being mentally and physically assaulted,” said Mr Kerr. He also said that “parents despair that they send their children to school uncertain of their safety”.
The latest Behaviour in Scottish Schools Research Report, published in November, found “a general worsening of pupil behaviour” since 2016, including increases in low-level disruption, disengagement and serious disruptive behaviour.
Lack of action ‘not good enough’
Roz McCall, the Scottish Conservatives’ deputy spokesperson for education and skills, concluded the debate by accusing the government of inaction over the past year.
“It’s simply not good enough that we’re 10 months on from when this issue was first raised by members from these benches, requesting plans and guidelines to be put in place prior to the start of the [2023-24] academic year last August,” she said.
“Because in reality, there is no change on the ground, no change within our schools, no change for the wellbeing of our students, our teachers and all education staff - and that’s simply not good enough.”
Behaviour issues ‘systemic’
Pam Duncan-Glancy, Scottish Labour’s education spokesperson, accused Ms Gilruth of “trying to pass the buck” of responsibility to local authorities.
She said: “The situation we see in schools is not isolated to one area in Scotland. It is systemic and I believe the cabinet secretary knows that.”
New guidance on tackling gender-based violence (GBV) was published for Scottish schools on Monday. It was launched by first minister Humza Yousaf and Ms Gilruth, with Mr Yousaf emphasising that “prevention and early intervention are key”.
A Scottish government spokesperson said this week that work was also “well underway” to bring forward a joint national action plan on behaviour with councils which would be published sometime in the spring.
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