06/09/2026
The Guardian reports that the proportion of secondary school students in England being removed from class and placed in “internal exclusion” has almost trebled in just three years, according to new data collected and analysed by Arbor.
Many children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) are routinely excluded from school,
whether through internal exclusion, suspension or permanent exclusion.
Too often,
the underlying difficulties these children experience are ignored,
minimised, mischaracterised or inadequately supported.
When children with SEND are excluded,
the support provided is often made without meaningful or any differentiation for their special educational needs.
Under the Equality Act 2010,
schools have legal duties not to discriminate against disabled pupils.
Any form of exclusion of a disabled pupil for reasons related, even in part, to their disability will be unfavourable treatment under the Equality Act 2010,
and schools must be able to demonstrate that the treatment is a proportionate means of achieving a legitimate aim.
Children with SEND deserve appropriate support, meaningful education and respect for their legal rights.
For teachers, school leaders and governors more training should be looked at , to
better understand these duties, training session on SEN and the Equality Act 2010, focusing on the legal framework and how schools can avoid disability discrimination
Read the full article from the Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/education/2026/sep/03/proportion-of-secondary-school-students-in-england-placed-in-internal-exclusion-almost-triples-in-three-years
The proportion of secondary school students in England removed from class and placed in “internal exclusion”
as a disciplinary measure has almost trebled in three years, according to new data.
The data shows the proportion of secondary pupils removed from normal lessons went up from 5% in the 2022/2023 academic year to 13% in 2025/26 – a 160% increase.
Poorer children are disproportionately affected, with more than one in five (22%) disadvantaged youngsters taken out of lessons at least once in 2025/26,
up from 8% three years ago
– a 175% increase, according to analysis of the data.
The figure was one in ten (10%) for non-disadvantaged pupils.
Children with special educational needs and disabilities (Send) are also overrepresented, with 18% of students with an education, health and care plan removed from class at least once in 2025/26.
Critics say that putting pupils into internal exclusion – which varies between schools but is sometimes described as an “isolation room” –
can damage mental wellbeing and result in lost learning.
Others say it is an effective tool in behaviour management.
The data was collected and analysed by Arbor, a management information system used by 13,000 schools across England,
and shared exclusively with the Guardian.
Fewer than 1% of primary pupils were internally excluded at least once in a year.
In 2025/6 the number of under-11s affected was almost 5,000,
though the real figure is likely to be significantly higher,
as Arbor does not have data for every school.
Unlike permanent exclusions and fixed term suspensions,
when pupils are sent home, internal exclusions require children to remain on site and they are returned to their class at the end of the exclusion.
While the government collects data on exclusions and suspensions,
it does not for internal exclusions.
We may still be letting down many students and not fully supporting our neurodivergent young people in a way that’s holistic & therapeutic 💚🌳🌿🫶🏻
