The number of children absent or suspended from London schools has reduced
Ministers have been urged to take lessons from London’s ‘Inclusion Charter’ which has been credited with reducing absenteeism, suspensions and exclusions across the capital’s schools.
The strategy, launched in 2024 and backed by 30 London boroughs and dozens of charities, has seen London’s school suspension and permanent exclusion rates fall to half the national average. New data shows a 14 per cent reduction in the exclusion rate for the last academic year, alongside a 7 per cent fall in suspensions and 2 per cent drop in absenteeism.
Boroughs that have seen a noticeable change include Sutton, which has experienced a 63 per cent decline in permanent exclusions since 2023, and Wandsworth, where levels fell by a third. More than 730 schools – around a quarter of London’s institutions – have signed up to the Charter.
The document lays out four “guiding principles” for helping students feel included. This comprises embedding diversity in the curriculum, giving students responsibility to shape school policy, offering a range of educational pathways to include all types of learners, and prioritising exposure to new places and points of view.
New research commissioned by the Mayor’s Violence Reduction Unit (VRU) and carried out by the University of Strathclyde found that pupils at ‘rights-respecting schools’ are more likely to feel like they belong and that they are safe.
Sir Sadiq Khan said City Hall would be sharing the results with ministers in due course.
“This is a good example of a policy that’s been incredibly successful,” he told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) during a visit to St Augustine’s CE School in Kilburn, North West London.
“The Inclusion Charter in London, used by nearly every borough, has led to fewer exclusions than the rest of the country, fewer suspensions than the rest of the country, and great progress made in terms of persistent absenteeism as well.
“That’s leading to schools being safer, better connected, better included, but also it’s leading to fewer young people getting sucked into criminal gangs.
“So we’ll be sharing with the Government the great results in London, because this is the way we can make sure that more and more children are kept in the safest place possible, which is school, which enables brilliant teachers to work with kids to have their potential fulfilled.”
City Hall themselves are backing schools to put the Charter into practice with a £1.4million investment in UNICEF UK’s Right’s Respecting Schools Award. However, the funding will only remain available to state schools in London for the next two years.
VRU Director Lib Peck said: “Keeping young people in school and safe is a critical part of the Violence Reduction Unit’s approach to driving down violence in London.
“The strength of London’s Inclusion Charter has always been genuine partnership and whilst we have seen reductions in exclusions, suspensions and persistent absenteeism, it’s clear there is more to do to ensure no child misses out on learning and becomes vulnerable to violence.
“The independent evaluation shows the true value of putting children’s rights front and centre. It changes how safe and connected they feel to school. Almost a quarter of London schools have now signed up and we have built incredible momentum, but we want to increase that number so that we work to ensure young people are safe and supported to thrive.”
The VRU, set up in 2019, has carried out more more than half a million targeted interventions and opportunities for young people. City Hall says this approach, which centres on prevention, is successful, with ONS figures showing a 15 per cent drop in knife crime in the last 12 months.
The Department for Education did not respond to a request for comment. In July officials posted updated guidance on school exclusions, saying that “the Government recognises that school exclusions, managed moves and off-site direction are essential behaviour management tools for headteachers and can be used to establish high standards of behaviour in schools and maintain the safety of school communities”.
However, it encourages schools to “work to create environments where school exclusions are not necessary because pupil behaviour does not require it”.
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