495.This section amends section 19 of the 1996 Act to require local education authorities to provide permanently excluded pupils with suitable full-time education. Currently, section 19 requires local education authorities to make suitable education available to children who are out of school for any reason. However, section 19 does not specify that such education should be full-time in the case of excluded pupils and this section requires this. It provides power for the Secretary of State to prescribe exceptions to this duty.
496.The section also requires local education authorities to make suitable full-time education available to pupils excluded for fixed periods from a pupil referral unit.