The law does not allow for extending a suspension or ‘converting’ a suspension into a permanent exclusion. In exceptional cases, usually, where further evidence has come to light, a further suspension may be issued to begin immediately after the first suspension ends; or permanent exclusion may be issued to begin immediately after the end of the suspension.

Our advice to schools is that a full investigation should take place before a suspension is issued. This may mean that the pupil is placed in isolation until a full investigation is carried out which would then determine the level of sanction.

Any further period of suspension must be based on new evidence which must not have been available when the decision was made in relation to the initial suspension. Therefore, from the above and our experience of Buckinghamshire Independent Review Panels, a suspension letter should not make any reference to an investigation. 

• The smallest recordable suspension is for half a day. Any amount less than this is still recorded as half a day.
• Each lunch-time suspension counts statistically as half a day.
• If a pupil is receiving multiple suspensions, alternative strategies should be considered. If a pupil receives 45 suspensions in one school year, no further suspension can be issued. A permanent exclusion is not an automatic next step. A decision to issue a permanent exclusion following 45 days of suspensions needs to have the same consideration and level of evidence as to any other permanent exclusion.
• If a pupil is suspended for more than 5 school days, the school must provide suitable education from the sixth day. Sending work home would not qualify as a suitable education.
• Pupils cannot be sent home for health and safety reasons or to ‘cool off’ even with the consent of the parent. Apart from illness, all instances of sending home must be treated as and recorded as, an exclusion.

The Governing Board and the LA must, without delay, be informed of:

• Suspensions will result in the pupils being excluded for more than 5 school days, or more than 10 lunchtimes, in any one term.
• Suspensions which will result in the pupil missing a public examination or national curriculum test
• Permanent exclusions

Notifications must include the reasons for the suspension and the duration of any suspension.