While the national guidance in Scotland highlights school exclusion as a last resort, we know that schools will implement this to different degrees and more informal forms of exclusion are happening at a more frequent rate (i.e., reduced timetable, managed moves, being sent home early).
Research has previously established a link between school exclusion and ASB, highlighting that one of the most important predictors of criminal record status was school exclusion (Edinburgh Study of Youth Transitions, 2012). A study found that 80% of young people in Polmont Young Offenders Institution had, at some point, been excluded from school (Smith et al, 2014). School exclusion is widely associated with social exclusion, carrying further risk of anti-social behaviour, drug taking, and crime (Rabie and Howard, 2013). Despite these links, evidence between school exclusion and ASB is fragmentated, especially as it concerns more informal exclusions.
Establishing these links and mapping this evidence is crucial, with stark inequalities present among the most marginalised children in Scotland today. Students with additional support needs face exclusion nearly five times the rates of their counterparts, this rises to six times the amount for care-experienced children (Scottish Government, 2023). Children who qualify for free school meals are also at a higher risk of exclusion, suggesting that there is a socio-economic component involved in school exclusion (Troncoso et al, 2024). With concern about the long-term outcomes of children facing exclusion and its links to youth violence, this project aims to synthesise existing knowledge, identify gaps and provide a clear overview of interventions and outcomes. We would also be interested in exploring inclusion practices and examining what measures schools are taking to promote and prevent exclusion.
Project plan
The aim of the study is to systematically map existing research and policy on school exclusion and the link between school exclusion and anti-social behaviour (ASB), focusing on risk factors, protective factors, and intervention strategies.
This is primarily a desk-based study, supplemented with 5-8 interviews with professionals. The intern’s role will be to synthesise the evidence relating to risk and protective factors, document intervention strategies and compare policy frameworks across education. This will involve a literature review and some policy analysis. There will also be the opportunity to conduct interviews with various professionals across the education sector. Departmental ethics will be obtained beforehand. This will help bolster any findings from the review.
