All maintained schools, academies, alternative provision academies, and pupil referral units (PRUs) must have regard to statutory guidance on suspension and exclusion from the Department for Education (DfE).
The requirements apply to all pupils, including those above and below compulsory school age.
The DfE has published updated guidance which comes into effect on 26 July 2026. It replaces the existing guidance on suspensions and exclusions. Your school should follow the existing guidance until 25 July 2026. See our summary of the changes.
Suspensions and exclusions process: flowchart
Our flowchart sets out the process schools must follow when suspending or permanently excluding a pupil for disciplinary reasons. It's based on the DfE's suspensions and exclusions guidance.
Use it to see whether your board needs to consider the suspension or exclusion, and find out the statutory timeframe for doing so.
A pupil must not be