Government tightens behaviour rules to stop learning loss during suspensions
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More suspended pupils to stay in school, not at home on phones and
social media New guidance ensures internal suspension is
structured and supports learning 93 new Attendance and
Behaviour Hubs to help schools tackle poor behaviour More
pupils suspended from school for bad behaviour will learn under
supervision instead of being sent home where they have access to
mobile phones and social media under tightened rules.
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More pupils suspended from school for bad behaviour will learn under supervision instead of being sent home where they have access to mobile phones and social media under tightened rules. The government will introduce a new national framework designed to strengthen the impact of suspensions, reduce exposure to social media and safeguard young people. Suspensions were introduced 40 years ago - long before the existence of mobile phones and social media. Today, suspension at home can mean unfettered access to friends and online gaming – doing little to address behaviour, enforce punishment or re-engage pupils with learning. The government has been clear that mobile phones have no place in schools. This reform will bring suspensions in line with that principle, ending the contradiction where pupils are restricted from phones in school but effectively handed them all day when suspended. That's why the government will consult on introducing a new framework to give heads the flexibility to ensure pupils facing suspension for non-violent behaviour continue learning in a separate, supervised setting, away from other pupils — reinforcing clear behavioural expectations while providing schools with the structure to address disruptive conduct. Keeping pupils on site can support learning and reduce disruption, but internal suspension is currently informal and inconsistently applied. Evidence shows that in some cases pupils are isolated and set generic work that does not support learning or reintegration. Updated guidance will set clearer expectations, ensuring internal suspension is a short, structured intervention with meaningful learning and time for reflection. Pupils will complete the work they would otherwise miss, supporting continuity of learning and reducing pressure on teachers to recover lost time. High standards of behaviour apply to all pupils. Inclusive schools will be supported to uphold those standards while addressing underlying causes of behaviour, ensuring discipline and support go hand in hand. The most serious and violent behaviour will still result in pupils being removed from the school environment and the new framework will not replace at home suspensions. Head teachers will retain autonomy over the use of internal and external suspensions, recognising they are best placed to make decisions about what's most appropriate for their pupils. The measures will be included in the government's upcoming Schools White Paper, which will set out a path to transform the outcomes of disadvantaged children and those with SEND. It comes as framework comes as the scale of the problem reaches record levels with nearly one million external suspensions issued in the 2023/24 academic year and disadvantaged pupils hit hardest. Pupils eligible for free school meals are five times more likely to be suspended than their peers. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said: “Time out of school doesn't just disrupt learning - it can have a huge impact on a young person's life chances. “Suspensions will always play a critical role in helping heads manage poor behaviour, but time at home today can too easily mean children retreating to social media, gaming and the online world instead of serving their punishment. That has devalued suspensions and led to high levels of lost learning. “We want to restore suspensions as the serious sanction they should be, while keeping young people engaged in their education and reducing the time teachers spend helping pupils catch up.” By keeping pupils learning in school, the government is acting to break the cycle of disruption and exclusion that too often limits opportunity, raising standards and improving life chances. The framework will sit alongside the work of the Attendance and Behaviour Hubs, which draw on best practice to improve attendance and tackle the root causes of poor behaviour before problems escalate. Today, the government has confirmed 93 Attendance and Behaviour Hubs across the country — schools with a proven record of turning behaviour and attendance around. These hubs will support other schools to identify absence early, build positive cultures, engage parents, and establish strong routines. Schools facing the most acute challenges will receive intensive support from a lead school, including one-to-one sessions with leaders and staff, access to DfE data and tools, and visits to see effective practice in action. An independent evaluation of the previous Behaviour Hubs programme found strong evidence of lasting improvements in pupil behaviour, with schools transforming their approach long after the programme ended. This builds on recent progress on attendance, with over five million additional days in school and 140,000 more pupils back in the classroom last academic year — central to the government's mission to break down barriers to opportunity. A further 37 schools will now benefit from targeted support from RISE school improvement teams, accelerating improvement and driving higher standards. Alongside this, the government is tackling wider barriers to attendance by rolling out free breakfast clubs, expanding mental health support, limiting branded uniform items, and encouraging enrichment activities that give children a reason to want to attend school. ENDS Notes to editors
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