The Hidden Crisis: Why School Exclusions Are Rising and What We Can Do About It

The statistics should keep us all awake at night. In England, permanent exclusions have risen by 40% in recent years. Behind every number is a story—a young person whose educational journey has been derailed, often just when they need support the most.

But here's what the statistics don't tell you: every excluded student has a story that goes far deeper than the incident that led to their removal.

The Real Story Behind Exclusions

When we dig beneath the surface, we often find:

• Undiagnosed SEND needs that have never been properly addressed
• Trauma at home that manifests as challenging behaviour at school
• Mental health struggles in a system not equipped to provide therapeutic support
• Cultural mismatches between a young person's needs and traditional teaching methods

What we label as 'defiance' might actually be a desperate cry for help. What looks like 'disruption' could be a young person's way of avoiding tasks they find impossible due to unmet learning needs.

The True Cost of Giving Up

When we exclude a young person, we don't just remove them from a classroom—we often set them on a path that leads away from their potential and towards a much bleaker future.

Consider this: A young person excluded from school is six times more likely to end up in the criminal justice system. The average annual cost of a prison place in England is over £47,000. The long-term societal cost of a life derailed can run into millions.

But the human cost? That's immeasurable.

A Different Approach

At Triple Skillz, we refuse to accept that any young person is beyond help. When mainstream education says 'no more chances', we say 'let's try a different way'.

Every student who walks through our doors has been written off by someone, somewhere. Our job is to help them rewrite their story.

We've seen remarkable transformations: The young person who was permanently excluded for 'aggressive behaviour' becomes a peer mentor. The student who refused to engage with literacy discovers a love of storytelling through sport. The anxious school refuser finds their voice in our supportive environment.

These aren't miraculous exceptions—they're what happens when you refuse to give up on a young person and instead give them exactly what they need to succeed.

The Power of Early Intervention

The most powerful work we do isn't fixing problems after exclusion—it's preventing exclusions from happening in the first place.

Our 'Positive Choices Through Sport' programme works directly with schools to engage students who are on the cusp of exclusion. By using sport as a vehicle for exploring choices and consequences, we help young people understand that they have the power to change their trajectory.

Prevention will always be better than cure. But when cure is needed, it's never too late to help a young person find their way back to a brighter future.