Suspension and exclusion rates in UK schools are rising, with the most marginalised children being hardest hit. In the 2022/23 academic year, there were 578,300 suspensions and 9,400 permanent exclusions – this is the equivalent of 933 suspensions per 10,000 students and 11 permanent exclusion for every 10,000 pupils and represents a significant increase from previous years.

Closer scrutiny of this data shows that the population is not equally impacted. Boys are over three times more likely to be excluded from school, often as a result of disruptive behaviour, linked to mental health issues and special educational needs. Risks are also higher for certain minoritised groups, with Black Caribbean, mixed White and Black Caribbean, Gypsy (Roma) and Irish traveller groups having the highest rates of exclusion. Family income levels are also a major determinant, with families whose children are on free school meals being five times more likely to be permanently excluded than their wealthier peers.

School exclusion and mental health issues are closely linked, especially for disadvantaged students. Rather than supporting students to thrive, schools can inadvertently perpetuate inequity. This reflects previous research by Bernstein, who found that norms and values held by the social dominant group (determined by class and ethnicity) can be reproduced in a way that pushes out those who do not hold similar beliefs and adhere to certain behaviours. Poor school experiences — impacted by inflexible academic procedures or increased use of measures intended to punish bad behaviour — create disengagement. Young people excluded from school lose the anchoring influence of ties to class mates and may seek alternative means of gaining status and income. Failed by the system, they are at higher risk of becoming involved in criminal behaviour, drug dealing, or other anti-social activities .

We recently conducted a qualitative research study which explored young people’s experiences of school and the intersection of school exclusion, mental health and subsequent entry into criminal gangs. Our study involved speaking with young people aged between 14 and 24, who had experienced a range of adverse childhood experiences, including family breakdown, addiction, mental health challenges and criminal justice involvement. Through our interviews, we discussed a range of life experiences, from growing up, school experience and aspirations, to mental health and gangs.

These discussions led to some interesting insights and helped us to gain understanding of the lived experience of some marginalised young people. A small number of quotes are included here, though the names of the young people talking have been changed to preserve anonymity.

Young people, who participated in the study reflected how the school system produces winner and losers:

“There are people in the school system who do well from it and benefit and some don’t. I’m one of those who don’t. I was a clever kid at primary…but I’ve got a short attention span… just sitting in class looking at the board and copying. I couldn’t do that.”(Sid, 17, North England)

The difference in size between primary and secondary could make some students feel less in control.

“{My school} had a very authoritarian policy … Sometimes I felt that our voices and opinions were ignored.” (Adem, 17, South England)

Some of the young people became involved in criminal gangs as a means of making money and gaining status. Here Ethan, indignantly speaks of what he sees to be the irrelevance of the curriculum.

“They should be learning ya [you] about how to make money… I was 15 and making more money than what the teachers were making. It’s just stupid man.… They’re teaching me science. Like – what’s the odds of me becoming a scientist when I’m older. It’s … that slim.” (Ethan, 15, North England)

Others recognise the strong influence of the environment and the pull to fit in with the people they hang around with.

“If a kid is naughty and hanging around in a skateboard park… then the naughty they get up to may be spraying graffiti. But if a kid is naughty and they are hanging around people selling class A drugs then that’s the naughty they’re going to get up to”. (Hassan, 19, South England)

This research illustrates the challenges English state schools currently face when trying to provide inclusive education to individuals whose lives have undergone unimaginable hardship and the importance of recognising how school systems can unconsciously promote ways of working that exacerbate inequalities.

A broader focus for schools

To reduce exclusions, schools need to move away from the narrow focus on academic success and offer more varied learning experiences. Group-based and project-based learning, vocational training and life-skills education would better equip students for the world outside of school, while also giving them a sense of purpose. Participation in sports, the arts and other extracurricular activities can foster belonging, teamwork and discipline — crucial elements for preventing disengagement.

For many marginalised students, the priority is finding ways to earn a living, and schools must offer legitimate paths for achieving this. If schools broaden their focus, they can become more inclusive, engaging all students and helping them succeed in ways that go beyond traditional academic measures.

Breaking the cycle of exclusion

The consequences of exclusion extend far beyond the school gates, having profound long-term social and economic impacts, including increased youth violence, unemployment and poorer health outcomes. Once excluded, subsequent lack of structure and boundaries, together with increasing disengagement and disconnection from positive peer groups, mean that young people are at greater risk of involvement in criminal gangs. Half of young people serving custodial sentences were persistently absent from school. The lifetime cost to the state for one cohort of permanently excluded children is estimated at £1.6 billion.

To reverse this trend, schools must address systemic inequalities and cultural biases. Expanding curricula to include vocational and life-skills training will help keep marginalised children engaged and offer them paths to success. Schools need to be places of inclusion, where every child, regardless of their background, can thrive.

Read the full study.