Report highlights the impact of lost learning

A new report, “Who is Losing Learning?” by IPPR and The Difference, reveals the growing scale of school exclusions in England, calling for urgent action from SENCOs and school leaders. 

The study introduces the ‘exclusions continuum,’ showing that lost learning extends far beyond permanent exclusions and suspensions, encompassing internal exclusions, managed moves, and severe absence.
 

The report identifies the children most at risk. Pupils with SEND, particularly those without an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP), are five times more likely to face permanent exclusion than their peers. Pupils in persistent poverty, those with a history of social services involvement, and those from Black Caribbean and Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller backgrounds also experience disproportionately higher rates of exclusion.

The report urges schools to adopt proactive inclusion strategies, improve early intervention, and ensure data on all forms of exclusion—both formal and informal—is tracked. Without action, more children will fall through the cracks, missing out on vital education.