School leaders have warned that a lack of alternative options for students is one of their biggest challenges when it comes to managing suspensions and exclusions.

Survey findings seen by Tes also show that a major concern for school leaders is balancing behaviour management with the need for inclusion.

The findings come amid a rise in permanent exclusions and suspensions as teachers report more challenging behaviour since the pandemic.

Some 45 per cent of school leaders have reported an increase in suspensions and exclusions over the past 12 months, according to the new School Leaders Survey published by law firm Browne Jacobson.

Only 22 per cent noted a decrease, with the remainder saying there had been no change or they were unsure.

Managing exclusions and suspensions

When asked what the biggest challenge was connected to managing exclusions and suspensions, 38 per cent of respondents said balancing behaviour management with inclusion and 33 per cent said it was the lack of alternative options for students.

The next most commonly cited concern was a lack of support for special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), which was highlighted by 16 per cent of respondents.

The most recent official figures show that pupil suspensions increased by 12 per cent in England in the spring term last year, compared with the previous year.

Department for Education data shows there were 295,559 pupils suspended in the spring term of 2023-24, up from 263,904 in the same term in 2022-23.

The survey also asked what alternatives schools took before using suspensions or exclusions. The most common response cited by almost all respondents (96 per cent) was providing pastoral support.

This was followed by the use of alternative provision (74 per cent) and the use of restorative justice (71 per cent).

However, only 19 per cent of leaders believe alternative provision for excluded students effectively supports their educational outcomes, with 55 per cent saying it is sometimes effective and 27 per cent feeling it was rarely or never the case.

Nearly 200 trust and multi-academy trust leaders - including CEOs, executive headteachers, trustees and governors - representing more than 1,700 schools completed the survey during May 2025.

Exclusions and suspensions near ‘all-time high’

Phillip Wood, a principal associate in the education team at Browne Jacobson, said: “Exclusions and suspensions are near an all-time high, but this is a reflection of underlying issues.

“Principal among them, as highlighted in the survey, is SEND and the balance for schools fundamentally between inclusion and the disadvantages posed to other students by a minority of poor behaviour.”

The Browne Jacobson report also includes anonymised insights from respondents.

A CEO of a multi-academy trust in inner London said: “There aren’t enough alternative options available and many of those that are available are of questionable quality. Many don’t give pupils a route to employability.”

On the issue of balancing inclusion with behaviour management, a school governor said: “There needs to be a much greater understanding that zero suspensions and exclusions is not a laudable target.

“Schools with zero are, in many cases, not bastions of inclusion and accommodation - they are sometimes sacrificing the needs of the many in the classroom in favour of the disruptive one or two.

“A high level of suspensions and exclusions is clearly a cause for concern, but a low level might actually be a sign of a school managing its behaviour issues across the board in a healthy, effective manner.”

Promoting inclusion for pupils with SEND is a key focus of the Labour government. Yesterday, a group led by the DfE’s expert adviser for inclusion, Tom Rees, published a report setting out key priorities for inclusive practice in mainstream schools.

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