PART IIIMISCELLANEOUS AND SUPPLEMENTARY

Suspension and expulsion of pupils from grant-aided schools

Suspension and expulsion of pupils31

1

The Department shall prepare and issue a scheme specifying the procedure to be followed in relation to the suspension and expulsion of registered pupils from grant-aided schools.

2

A scheme under this Article—

a

shall provide that—

i

a registered pupil at a controlled school may be expelled from that school only by the relevant board on the application of the Board of Governors of the school;

ii

a registered pupil at any other grant-aided school may be expelled from that school only by the Board of Governors of the school;

b

shall provide that a registered pupil at a grant-aided school may be suspended from that school only by a person or body specified in the scheme;

c

shall specify the maximum period—

i

for which a pupil may be suspended in any one school year;

ii

for which a pupil may be suspended on any one occasion;

d

may provide for the extension of a period of suspension (subject to any provision made by virtue of sub-paragraph (c));

e

may include provision for such other matters as the Department thinks appropriate.

3

It is the duty of—

a

the relevant board and the Board of Governors (in relation to a controlled school); and

b

the Board of Governors (in relation to any other grant-aided school),

to comply with a scheme under this Article.

4

The Department—

a

shall review a scheme issued under this Article not later than five years after the issue of the scheme (or, as the case may be, after the last review under this paragraph); and

b

may revise the scheme and issue the revised scheme.

5

Before making or revising a scheme under this Article the Department shall consult—

a

the boards;

b

the Board of Governors of a number of grant-aided schools selected by the Department as being a representative sample of all such schools; and

c

any other person with whom consultation appears to it to be desirable.

6

In this Article and Article 32 “relevant board”, in relation to a controlled school, means the board for the area in which the school is situated.