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Exclusions process | School exclusions | Birmingham City Council
School exclusions

Exclusions process

Exclusion letter sent

When a headteacher decides to exclude a pupil permanently, they will write to the parent with reasons for the exclusion.

Suitable full-time education arranged

From the sixth school day of the permanent exclusion, the local authority must make sure suitable full-time education is provided.

The school's funding will be adjusted following the School and Early Years Finance (England) Regulations 2015 and our Money Following Excluded Pupils (MFEP) protocol.

In Birmingham, this normally results in the pupil being allocated a place at the City of Birmingham School (Pupil Referral Unit).

For more information, see our guidance on:

Governor panel

The governing body must meet within 15 days of the exclusion to consider the headteacher's decision.

The headteacher will provide the governors and parents with a written report at least 5 days before the meeting. The report will explain the reasons for the pupil's exclusion and the evidence collected during the school's investigation of the incident(s) for which the pupil has been excluded.

Parents are invited to the meeting. They:

  • will be asked about the exclusion
  • will be able to present their views and those of the child
  • can ask questions based on the report

The governors will consider all evidence and decide:

  • direct reinstatement if they believe the exclusion was not appropriate
  • decline to reinstate if they feel the decision of the headteacher to exclude a pupil permanently was appropriate

Appeals

Parents do not have the right to appeal against the governor panel's decision not to reinstate the pupil. However, they do have the right to ask for the decision to be reviewed by an independent review panel.

They must request this, in writing, within 15 school days of the governor panel's decision.

Independent review panel (IRP)

The independent review panel's role is to review the governing body's decision and make sure it was properly made.

The IRP cannot reinstate a pupil, but can quash the decision and direct the governing body to look at the exclusion again.

Judicial review

It is possible to challenge the decision with an application for judicial review if the governing body:

  • made an error in law
  • acted unreasonably
  • was in breach of natural justice

The application for a judicial review must be made within 3 months of the governor panel's decision.

Page last updated: 21 July 2026