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Behaviour support in schools including suspension and exclusion

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    Schools have a responsibility to make sure they are safe and positive for everyone. Here we describe how schools may respond to student’s concerning behaviour that affects the school community’s safety and learning.

    Principals can use suspension or exclusion to respond to concerning behaviour.

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    Behaviour support policy

    Our behaviour support policy (PDF 646 KB) :

    • applies to all South Australian public schools
    • takes a positive behaviour support approach
    • helps schools to be safe and positive learning places for everyone.

    The policy makes sure that behaviour support:

    • is fair
    • reflects students’ needs.

    School responsibility

    All South Australian public schools must:

    The policy can be on the school’s website or at the school.

    Schools need to:

    • promote safe and positive student behaviour
    • support the participation of all students
    • respond to all behaviours of concern
    • refer students to external or department services when they need extra support.

    Responding to behaviours of concern

    Schools will respond to all behaviours of concern. This includes behaviour that takes place outside school hours or off school grounds when there’s a reasonable connection between the behaviour and the school or school relationships. For example:

    • behaviour that happened on the way to or from school
    • behaviour while wearing school uniform or representing the school
    • behaviour while on school excursions or camps
    • in person or online behaviour towards another student or school staff. This includes in the evening or on the weekend.

    Consequences for behaviours of concern might include suspension or exclusion. This can happen if:

    • the grounds for suspension or exclusion are met under the law

    and

    • it’s the most appropriate response in the individual circumstances.

    Suspension and exclusion responses are only used:

    • as a last resort to support safe and positive behaviour
    • when other responses are not enough to help the student to behave safely and positively.

    If a student's behaviour is causing concern, the school will contact parents or carers to:

    • give them information about the behaviour
    • discuss what the reasons for the behaviour might be
    • discuss what might help support safe and positive behaviour.

    The best way to resolve behaviours of concern is for everyone to work together. This includes the school, parents or carers and students involved.

    The education department’s behaviour support policy (PDF 646 KB) explains how everyone can work together to support safe and positive behaviour.

    Suspension

    Suspension from school:

    • is a short term response to concerning student behaviour that affects the safety and learning of others
    • means that the student does not attend school for between 1 and 5 school days
    • is decided by the Principal
    • cannot be for more than 15 school days or 4 times in one school year without the approval of the Education Director.

    The length of the suspension is decided by the Principal. It depends on more than one factor. For example:

    • the student’s behaviour – how serious it is and how often it happens
    • how the student has responded to behaviour consequences in the past.

    Reasons for suspension

    Principals can suspend students when they believe on reasonable grounds that the student has:

    • threatened or perpetrated violence
    • acted in a way that threatens the safety or wellbeing of a student, staff member or other person associated with the school. This includes by:
      • sexually harassing
      • racially vilifying
      • verbally abusing
      • bullying that person
    • acted illegally
    • interfered with the ability of a teacher to teach students or of a student to learn
    • acted in a way that threatens the good order of the school by persistently failing to comply with the school rules about behaviour
    • shown persistent and wilful inattention or indifference to schoolwork.

    The suspension process

    The school explains the reason for the suspension to the student and their parents or carers.

    The student and their parents or carers are given a ‘notice of suspension from school’ that tells them:

    • how many days the student is suspended for
    • the date the student should return to school
    • the reason for the suspension.

    Parents and carers are given the following (or are directed to access these on our website):

    We also have translated versions of the suspension and exclusion brochure on this page.

    The suspension (between 1 and 5 days) starts on the first school day after the suspension decision.

    Reconnection meetings

    During the suspension, a reconnection meeting must be held to:

    • plan the student’s reconnection to the school, staff, students and their learning
    • develop a behaviour support plan to support safe and positive behaviour.

    The people at the reconnection meeting include:

    • the student
    • school staff – for example, principal, other school leaders, teacher, Aboriginal education worker, support staff
    • the student’s parents or carers.

    Other people who can attend the meeting are:

    • education department staff – for example a behaviour support coach, special educator, social worker or Aboriginal education worker
    • a support person invited by the student, parent or carer – for example, someone from the student’s family, a social worker, support worker or disability advocate
    • other people who might help – for example, service providers or interpreters.

    If a parent or carer cannot attend a reconnection meeting before the student is due to return to school, the student needs to return to school in an alternative program. While this happens, the school can either:

    • set up a reconnection meeting
    • or develop the behaviour support plan in some other way.

    Staying off school grounds

    It’s against the law for:

    • a suspended student to be on school grounds while suspended, unless they have written permission from the Principal
    • anyone to help or encourage the student to be on school grounds without permission while suspended.

    Appeals and complaints

    There is no formal appeal process for a suspension from school.

    If you can’t resolve things with your child’s school, you can make a complaint online to the education department’s Customer Feedback unit or by calling 1800 677 435.

    Exclusion

    Exclusion from school:

    • is a longer term response to serious student behaviour that affects the safety and learning of others
    • means that the student does not attend school for between 4 and 10 calendar weeks or the rest of the school term
    • can only happen if the student has first been suspended for between 1 and 5 school days
    • is decided by the Principal
    • cannot be for more than 20 weeks in one calendar year without the approval of the Education Director.

    The length of the exclusion is decided by the Principal. It depends on a few considerations. For example:

    • the student’s behaviour – how serious it is and how often it happens
    • how the student has responded to behaviour consequences in the past.

    Reasons for exclusion

    Principals can exclude students when they believe on reasonable grounds that the student has:

    • threatened or perpetrated violence
    • acted in a way that threatens the safety or wellbeing of a student, staff member or other person associated with the school. This includes by:
      • sexually harassing
      • racially vilifying
      • verbally abusing
      • bullying that person
    • acted illegally
    • interfered with the ability of a teacher to teach students or of a student to learn
    • acted in a way that threatens the good order of the school by persistently failing to comply with the school rules about behaviour.

    The exclusion process

    The school explains to the student and their parents or carers why the Principal is thinking about excluding the student.

    A suspension pending directions notice is given to the student and their parents or carers. The notice suspends the student for up to 5 days.

    Parents and carers are given the following (or are directed to access these on our website):

    We also have translated versions of the suspension and exclusion brochure on this page.

    The suspension starts on the first school day after the suspension decision.

    During the suspension, a directions conference is held to discuss the behaviour and what should happen next. The people at the conference include:

    • the student
    • school staff – for example, principal, other school leaders, teacher, Aboriginal education worker, support staff
    • the student’s parents or carers.

    Other people who can attend the meeting are:

    • education department staff – for example, behaviour support coach, special educator, social worker, Aboriginal education worker
    • a support person invited by the student, parent or carer – for example, extended family member, social worker, support worker or disability advocate
    • other people who may help – for example, service providers, interpreters.

    The Principal will consider everyone’s information provided at the directions conference. The Principal decides if the student will be excluded.

    If there is no exclusion

    If the Principal decides against an exclusion:

    • the student can return to school at the end of the suspension
    • the student’s reconnection to other students, school staff and learning is discussed
    • a behaviour support plan is developed to support the student’s safe and positive behaviour.

    If there is an exclusion

    If there is an exclusion, the school gives the student and their parents or carers a written ‘notice of exclusion from school’. This tells them:

    • the start and end dates of the exclusion
    • the reason for the exclusion
    • the date of the reconnection meeting. This must be held before the student returns to school.

    Parents and carers are then:

    • told about the appeal process
    • given the paperwork to make an appeal.

    Students 16 years and under are given an alternative learning program. For example:

    • an alternative program in the student’s own school
    • placement in another school
    • placement at a learning centre
    • an Open Access program
    • learning at home.

    A behaviour support plan is developed.

    During the exclusion, the student’s progress is monitored weekly.

    A mid-exclusion review is held to:

    • review the student’s progress with their learning and behaviour goals
    • update the behaviour support plan, if required.

    Reconnection meetings

    Before the student can return to school, a reconnection meeting is held. This is a way to review the student’s progress against identified learning and behaviour goals. If it’s agreed that the goals have been met:

    • the student can restart their usual schooling
    • the behaviour support plan is updated. This is done with the student, parents or carers, school staff and other relevant people.

    If exclusion goals are not met

    If the student did not meet their exclusion goals, the school can extend the exclusion period. The exclusion cannot be for more than 10 weeks in total or the rest of the school term. This includes the original period of exclusion and the extension.

    If reconnection meetings do not happen in time

    If a parent or carer cannot attend a reconnection meeting before the student is due to return to school, the student needs to return to school in an alternative program. While this happens, the school can:

    • reschedule the meeting
    • develop the behaviour support plan in some other way.

    Staying off school grounds

    It’s against the law for:

    • an excluded student to be on school grounds while excluded, unless they have written permission from the Principal
    • anyone to help or encourage the student to be on school grounds without permission while excluded.

    Appeals and complaints

    The process and paperwork to appeal against an exclusion from school is provided at the directions conference. A student, parent or carer or another adult acting at the request of the student, parent or carer may appeal against the decision to:

    • exclude
    • extend an exclusion.

    An appeal can be lodged on the following grounds:

    • the exclusion process was not followed properly
    • information considered in the decision to exclude was not correct
    • inappropriate length or conditions of exclusion.

    An appeal must be lodged with the Education Director within 5 school days of the exclusion decision.

    You can find out more information about appeals from your child’s school Principal. You can also call the local education office responsible for your child’s school. Contact the education department on 8226 1000 to find out the phone number of your local education office.

    If you can’t resolve things with your child’s school, you can make a complaint online to the education department’s Customer Feedback unit or by calling 1800 677 435.

    Procedure for suspension, exclusion and expulsion of students

    The department’s suspension, exclusion and expulsion of students procedure (PDF 742 KB) guides principals through the use of suspensions, exclusions and expulsions. It explains their targeted use as a strategy of last resort to support safe and positive behaviour in schools.

    It makes sure the use of suspensions, exclusions and expulsions:

    • is effective, consistent and fair
    • complies with the legislative authority provided by the Education and Children’s Services Act 2019 and Education and Children’s Services Regulations 2020.

    Concerns about behaviour

    If you're concerned about your child's behaviour or how your child's school is supporting your child, contact the school and make a time to speak with their teacher, school leader or the principal.

    If you can’t resolve things with your child’s school, you can make a complaint online to the education department’s Customer Feedback unit or by calling 1800 677 435.

    Translated versions of the suspension and exclusion brochure

    Here are translated versions of the suspension and exclusion information for parents and carers brochure (PDF 76 KB) .

    Engagement and Wellbeing

    Email: education.engagementandwellbeing [at] sa.gov.au

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