Ofsted has been criticised by the Department for Education’s behaviour adviser for saying that suspensions and exclusions in a multi-academy trust are “too high”.
Tom Bennett has backed concerns about a finding in an Ofsted summary evaluation report of Astrea Academy Trust, which runs 26 academies based mainly in Yorkshire.
The report, which has been published on the trust’s website, says that “incidences of suspensions and permanent exclusions, although still too high, are decreasing”.
Ofsted’s comment has received criticism, including from Mark Lehain, a former DfE adviser and free school founder, who said on Twitter: “There’s no such thing as an exclusion rate being too high, unless they’re being done illegally, so this statement is wrong.”
The head of education at the Centre for Policy Studies think tank added: “Sometimes behaviour improvement needs more exclusions, not fewer. Ofsted needs to stop saying stuff like this.”
This was backed by Mr Bennett, who has been the DfE’s behaviour adviser since 2015 and is leading the government’s current Behaviour Hubs programme.
Posting on Twitter, he said: “Completely agree. There is no ‘right’ number of exclusions beyond ‘was every one necessary?’ If yes then it’s the right number. Some schools serve highly challenging cohorts and need to exclude more.”
He continued: “And Ofsted reports need to stop saying things like this unless they can evidence that a specific number of exclusions were unjustified. Which, if the exclusions were upheld, they weren’t. So it’s flat out wrong to say ‘these numbers need to come down’.”
An exclusion being upheld refers to the decision of an independent review panel, which can be asked to assess a governing board’s decision not to reinstate a permanently excluded pupil.
Ofsted does not have the power to inspect MATs, despite the current and previous chief inspectors having called for this.
Instead, it publishes MAT summary evaluations after having carried out a batch of inspections of schools run by the same trust.
The watchdog cannot give MATs a grade as part of this process but does produce findings and recommendations.
In a section on behaviour and attitudes at Astrea, the report in question says: “Leaders know that in a few schools, some pupils do not behave well enough. Leaders are working at speed to improve pupils’ behaviour across the trust. Incidences of suspensions and permanent exclusions, although still too high, are decreasing.
“A very small minority of pupils have received multiple suspensions during the current academic year and are at risk of permanent exclusion. The trust’s leaders are implementing bespoke provision to ensure these pupils complete the academic year in their individual schools.”
The evaluation said Astrea Academy Trust’s school inspection outcomes show it is “a strong and improving trust”. It also praises the trust’s leaders and staff for demonstrating integrity and acting with moral purpose, adding: “Pupils are at the centre of everything that the trust does.”
Ofsted has not commented on the criticism made of its findings on social media. Tes understands that its comments on exclusions and suspensions being too high were made following discussions and input from trust leaders.
Astrea has been approached for comment.
