Fact finding visit to Cambridgeshire

As part of the Inclusion sub-group’s learning journey around reducing permanent exclusions, members of the sub-group visited Cambridgeshire earlier this month, which has not permanently excluded any pupils from its secondary schools so far this academic year.

The visiting party, made up of head teachers, representatives from our alternative provision and local authority officers, met with officers from Cambridgeshire local authority, the head teacher of one of its alternative provisions and head teachers from two secondary schools.  All of them explained their part in this journey.

Cambridgeshire, which was part of a government pilot project in this area, has been working hard to reduce exclusions for 10 years.  It has taken time to build up positive relationships between the local authority and its secondary schools, within a framework of frequent meetings, a clear service level agreement and a system of devolved funding.