Exclusion Figures

[helenl53]

Just seen some information given to parent by PPS that they can not give out the exclusion figures for particular schools as this information 'belongs' to the school.

 

Please tell me that my instinct is right and that this information should be freely available from the lea under FOIA and that it is not for the parents to contact schools direct to ask for this info?

 

HelenL

[phasmid]

Mrs P believes that what PP have said may be factual, but there may be a way around it. The LEA are supposed to provide a return to the DfES each year covering exclusions, so it may be available that way (by asking for the details of the return). The reason for this is likely to be cited as ensuring that children are not 'named and shamed' as it were by parents getting hold of 'sensitive' details.

[helenl53]

Hi Mr & Mrs P

 

As usual - our PPS hide behind stuff rather than give information to our parents to help them choose.

 

I know that schools now have to send in returns on a qtly basis.

 

 

Thanks - looks like we will have to ask the schools direct.

 

Best wishes

 

Helen

[phasmid]

Helen, what you could try is backtracking exclusion figures realesed from the DfES through the office of National Statistics. They release national datasets which they break down into regional figures. I have seen these further broken down into smaller chunks and then again into LEA datasets. I haven't seen them go further than that but, armed with that, you may be able to isolate it further if your LEA is open enough to make their figures publicly available...it's a bit of a long shot but here is the ONS web address: http://www.statistics.gov.uk/default.asp

[Kazzen161]

It might be mentioned in the Governing Body Minutes if you have time to trawl through them.

 

It also used to be in the Ofsted report (if they had a recent one) but not sure if it is the new style ones.

 

Karen

[phasmid]

Exclusion figures are normally 'Confidential minutes' available only via the school directly and not normally to anyone except governors. This is because they will reveal information that can identify the chil/ren concerned. Parents are not likely to be allowed access to these minutes.

[Kazzen161]

I hadn't thought of that - but we haven't had any exclusions yet.

 

I know a behaviour issue was confidential cos the child was discussed.

 

Phasmid: We had a confidential item recently in WGB meeting, discussing a potential development for the school that we did not feel should be made public at that time. However the agenda item heading was in the published minutes, which rather defeated the purpose of keeping it confidential, as it was then obvious what we were discussing. I was told the heading had to be in the published minutes - is this true?

 

As it happens, the confidential minutes were put on the notice board with the rest of the minutes! Just as well no-one reads them!

 

Karen

[phasmid]

No the heading does not need to be published in the 'public copy'...the governors version would have a title of say:

 

'Item 15: Removing doors from staff toilets.'

 

The public version would be:

 

'Item 15: Confidential item.'

 

That's it! As you say printing the heading of the item being discussed does rather make a mockery of the item being 'confidential' (more so if they then pin it up as well!!)

[Kazzen161]

Thanks phasmid.

 

How long have you been a Governor, because I have been one for two and a half years, and there are still lots of things I don't know?

 

Karen

[phasmid]

Thanks phasmid.

 

How long have you been a Governor, because I have been one for two and a half years, and there are still lots of things I don't know?

 

Karen

 

i haven't actually been a gov for about 3 yrs but mrs phas has been, and still is, one for donkeys, she has done primary,high and special schools, so i keep up to date and of course with mrs phas' speciality being admission/exclusion appeals she( and therefore by association me) has to keep up to date on all dfes guidance. plus with all my research for my recent degree i have had to go into many docs in extreme depth.