Lincolnshire’s section 19 policy

Lincolnshire ladder of behavioural intervention should be followed if a child is at risk of exclusions. This will enable a range of strategies and support to be implemented and reviewed. Suspension or permanent exclusion should only be used:

• as a last resort and protective consequence, in response to serious or persistent breaches of a school’s behaviour policy
• when allowing the child to remain in school would seriously harm the education or welfare of the individual and others in the school

For permanent exclusions, we must arrange suitable full-time education for the child. This should begin no later than the sixth school day of the exclusion. This will be the child’s ‘home authority’ in cases where the school is maintained by (or located within) a different local authority. 

For all suspensions and permanent exclusions, the school must notify us without delay. In Lincolnshire, this is within 24 hours of the exclusion being issued.

Arranging alternative provision for permanently excluded children falls within the section 19 duty. We discharge this duty via:

• the pupil reintegration team (PRT)
• placement at an alternative provision provider
• the SEND team, for children with an EHC plan that are permanently excluded from a special school

For fixed period exclusions, known as suspensions, this responsibility falls to the school’s governing board. This is in accordance with section 100 of the Education and Inspections Act 2006.