Reintegration guide for school leaders

Following a suspension, or off-site direction, schools are expected to make arrangements to manage a child or young person's (CYP) behaviour when they return to school. While not a statutory requirement, the DfE's guidance on suspensions and exclusions states that you should have a plan to help the CYP return successfully to school life. You should shape your reintegration plans around your school's context and the individual CYP's age, needs and behaviour.

This website provides an overview of considerations for school leaders when arranging a reintegration meeting. It includes tips for a successful meeting as well as exploring how to make the meetings consistent, who to invite and what to discuss during the meeting. It provides a suite of proforma documents that you can contextualise to meet your school and the CYP needs.

If the school decides not to have a reintegration meeting, it is still expected that there will be systems in place for supporting CYPs to return to school successfully. School leaders should be clear on their rationale for not holding a reintegration meeting and have alternative strategies in place.

Use the strategies within this guide when a CYP:

• Returns from a suspension period
• Returns from off-site direction
• Returns from a significant period of internal exclusion/isolation
• Is allowed to return to school when their permanent exclusion is overturned by your governing board or an independent review panel

Schools should support children and young people (CYP) to reintegrate successfully into school life and full-time education following a suspension or period of off-site direction. They should design a reintegration strategy that offers the CYP a fresh start; helps them understand the impact of their behaviour on themselves and others; teaches them how to meet the high expectations of behaviour in line with the school culture; fosters a renewed sense of belonging within the school community; and builds engagement with learning.

The decision to issue a suspension or exclusion is never one that is taken lightly. It provides an opportunity for reflection, to rethink support, implement effective strategies and make reasonable adjustments. If the underlying function / need of behaviour is not addressed then it is likely that the cycle of behaviour will repeat and result in further suspensions. Spending time and effort at this point thoroughly considering how best to support this CYP to succeed in school is the most effective approach to reintegration following exclusion; reintegration needs to be productive and meaningful, not simply a return to school following exclusion.

Even though reintegration doesn't formally start until the CYP returns, it should be a continuation of the communication and support that your school provides while they are away. Effective planning and preparation will make the process of the CYP's return to school easier for all involved:

• Make sure the CYP and family understand the reasons for suspension and the purpose and aims of a reintegration meeting. If families have English as an additional language (EAL) or belong to Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller (GRT) community, additional steps may need to be taken to support understanding (it is important to note that different EAL groups e.g. Asylum seekers, refugees, children who have received education in another country, children who have had very disrupted schooling, etc will have very specific and different needs and this must be considered when supporting a family to understand the reintegration process).
• Provide the CYP with schoolwork over the suspension period and make sure they follow an equivalent curriculum.
• Maintain regular contact over the suspension period.

Where necessary, schools should work with relevant staff and multi-agency organisations, such as teachers, pastoral staff, mentors, social workers, educational psychologists, EAL/GRT advisers or the Safer Schools team, to identify if the CYP has any pastoral, SEND and/or health needs or safeguarding risks, as these will need to be considered at the reintegration meeting to ensure a needs-led strategy.

Successful reintegration is dependent on your whole school ethos, culture and attitudes. If you feel that there are changes that your school needs to make at a whole school level to be able to fully support a successful reintegration strategy, then please contact our Early Intervention and Prevention team at inclusionandsend@norfolk.gov.uk for further support on whole school approaches to inclusion and belonging.

CYP views

The CYP's view of the behaviour incident needs to be into account before deciding whether to suspend or exclude. CYPs need to be given the opportunity to express their views as part of the reintegration process - with the support of advocates (such as a parent or social worker), if needed - unless their age or understanding mean it's not appropriate to do so. There are a number of ways CYP views can be collected, please see resources saved in our padlet here.

Some CYPs may not be able to verbalise their thoughts and feelings because of their age, stage, or additional needs. If this is a barrier to finding out how they feel, then other approaches can be used e.g. visuals/feelings faces/scaling charts/choice boards etc. For EAL CYPs such as refugee or asylum seeker children who have experienced little or no schooling or those educated in systems very different from our own, an interpretation service e.g. Language Line should be used in order to facilitate a two-way communication to ensure there are not cultural misunderstandings.

If a CYP is not able to share their views during the reintegration meeting, another approach should be used - this could be a separate 1-1 chat with a member of staff using the roots and fruits structure and may need to utilise additional resources i.e. emotions cards or social stories.

Tools

• A model letter which can be sent to parents ahead of the reintegration meeting (Word doc, 26 KB). This model letter to parents aims to support parents to be in a position to be positive and proactive in working collaboratively with your school to secure positive outcomes for the CYP.
  • This model letter should be translated appropriately for those families who have EAL with additional considerations around those families who may need the information presented differently i.e. if the family have low levels of literacy then a phone call may be more appropriate than a letter.

What is the purpose of the meeting?

Schools will approach reintegration meetings using slightly different approaches. School leaders should be clear on the purpose of the meeting and what they are hoping to achieve. A reintegration meeting should welcome the CYP back into school as well as re-establish behaviour expectations and/or agree / review a positive behaviour support plan.

Depending on the reason for suspension, there may be additional meetings held between CYPs / staff to offer a restorative intervention if the behaviour was harmful towards others. Restorative approaches focus on repairing harm and relationships by getting all involved to explain their perspective in order to find a resolution that works for everyone.

When should this be held?

This will be dependent on your school policy / timetable and the CYP's family commitments but best practice would be to hold the reintegration meeting the day before the CYP is expected to return to school, this ensures the CYP's first day back is a complete 'fresh start'.

Who should attend?

The meeting should be carried out by someone who has a positive relationship with the CYP and/or their family to maximise the chances of a successful meeting.

Someone with a good understanding of the situation that led to the suspension will need to make an informed decision about who should be invited and why. Depending on your school's approach, the meeting might be attended by the CYP, the family, relevant school staff (discussion will likely depend on nuances of details so having someone there who understands the facts about what happened is important) and any relevant support agencies.

Because of the reflective nature of these meetings, it can be a useful time to bring everyone around the child together to discuss the current needs of the CYP and what support would be most beneficial. If necessary, services like LanguageLine or INTRAN can be used to facilitate interpretation and translation during these discussions.

It is important to note that a CYP should not be prevented from returning to a mainstream classroom if parents are unable or unwilling to attend a reintegration meeting. The Department for Education's statutory guidance on exclusions specifies that CYPs cannot be suspended or excluded because of their failure to meet specific conditions before they are reinstated, including the refusal to attend a reintegration meeting.

If parents do not attend, ensure they are sent a copy of the notes from the reintegration meeting as well as the reintegration plan with details of how they can access any support. If the family have EAL then ensure that these notes are translated into the appropriate language.

Supporting families at the meeting

When considering how to approach and speak with parents, the following are important points to consider:

• Be aware that the CYP and / or their family may be feeling anxious about returning to school and this could impact on how they behave during the reintegration meeting. Thank the family for coming in and acknowledge that this may be difficult for them.
• Consider the tone you are communicating in - start positively. Reassure families that you are there to support and want the best for their child and for them to be successful at school and that this is an opportunity to discuss new or adaptations to support.
• Ensure any additional needs / considerations around the family are taken into account e.g. if the family have EAL then interpreters may need to be utilised, if the family have caring responsibilities then the timing / location of the meeting may need to be adapted, if the family have had a particular negative experience with school then a more 'neutral' location for the meeting may need to be considered.
• Emphasise that the meeting is an opportunity to work together. School and family should, as much as possible, display a united front and communicate a commonality of approach to the CYP. A practical consideration for this can be to discuss and set targets with family before presenting and discussing these with the CYP.
• There is a space in this meeting for focusing on the positives that the CYP brings to school. Consider how this meeting can remind family and the CYP of their successes through a strength-based approach which focuses on what the future can look like.

What should be covered?

Following a consistent model for reintegration meetings can ensure each CYP has a similar experience on their return to school, parents/carers will know what to expect and staff will feel more confident to carry out the meeting as intended. This should form part of your behaviour policy / exclusion policy.

The specific focus of the discussion will be determined by your school's approach to the meeting. Possible topics could include:

Getting back to class

This part of the reintegration should not be overlooked. Some CYPs may feel more comfortable to go straight back to class with peers, some may not and some may need additional support before doing so - consider individual needs, what that CYP will cope best with and adapt as necessary.

If the CYP does not go back to class straight away, it is important this is not seen as an extension of the suspension or a sanction and instead is viewed as a supportive measure appropriate for that CYP e.g. the CYP may work 1-1 for the morning with pastoral staff on self-regulation strategies or self-esteem activities.

Tools

• This meeting template (Word doc, 926 KB) can be used to ensure key points are covered during the reintegration meeting.
• Model PBSP and planning guidance
• Roots and fruits

The reintegration meeting should be seen as the commencement of the reintegration process, and not a complete act. Your reintegration strategy should be regularly reviewed and adapted where necessary throughout the reintegration process in collaboration with the CYP, parents, and other relevant parties.

Key considerations include:

• Review:
  • At least weekly reviews should take place with the CYP and parents to recognise progress being made and raise and address any concerns at an early stage. Using Language Line is helpful when planning a review with EAL families.
  • These don't have to be formal meetings with the CYP - for example, their form tutor could chat with them for 5 minutes at the start of the day. However, some CYPs may benefit from the structure of a regularly scheduled meeting.
• Learning:
  • How will the CYP be supported to learn from their behaviour?
  • Are any protective consequences needed for a period of time?
  • When will educational consequences be implemented?
• Support:
  • Have any additional needs been identified for the CYP, e.g. do they need support in any specific areas of understanding or managing emotions? Is it appropriate to involve any external support agencies?
  • How will other CYPs or staff be supported who may be impacted by the CYP's return? Inform these individuals when the CYP will be returning and plan check ins with them or offer other support as relevant e.g. access to quiet spaces when needed or changes to seating plans.
  • Safeguarding and the wellbeing of all CYPs involved may need to be considered more carefully if the behaviour was harmful towards other children, your DSL should lead on this.
• Positivity!
  • 'Fresh start' approach should be followed by all staff and successes should be celebrated. To enable this, ensure the CYP's targets and relevant plans are shared with the necessary staff e.g. MSAs and support staff.
• Communication:
  • Consider how families will be communicated within the weeks following the reintegration. How will positives be communicated? How will behaviour challenges be communicated? Twinkl has many examples of 'positive postcards' which can be used here.
  • Ensure communication with relevant people e.g. AP providers and external professionals is maintained to support consistency between settings and to share any ongoing concerns.
• Flexibility:
  • It is important to note that the reintegration process may not follow a neat trajectory; being aware of this is important in staying focused on the long-term goal of successful reintegration. The route will be different for each CYP and support may need to be adapted along the way.
  • Use review meetings to check that the reintegration plan is working for the CYP and if it's not, adapt it as necessary.

Tools

• This promoting positive behaviour audit will enable you to review your school provision in supporting the CYP needs.
• Behaviour is a form of communication. To help analyse and understand the behaviour, resources such as ABC behaviour charts or feelings/behaviour trackers may be useful.

Do we have to hold a reintegration meeting?

While the Statutory Instrument requiring a reintegration meeting was revoked as part of the September 2012 revisions to the guidance, it is considered good practice that schools meet with parents and the child or young person (CYP) to discuss the issues and reasons for the suspension and agree a way forward.

Do I need to do anything differently if the CYP has SEND?

Your school's reintegration approach may need to be adapted for CYPs with additional needs. Work with parents, your special educational needs coordinator (SENCO) and any external providers to identify these needs, making reasonable adjustments to the process as necessary.

Example: Some CYPs will need to be told exact details relating to a reintegration in order to feel more secure and safe: which room they will be going to first, what time, how long it will be for, what they will be doing there and what happens next? This could be reinforced with a visual timetable which should be shared with the child and their parents in advance of the reintegration. See more advice on reintegration for CYPs with autism here.

As with all CYPs, individual needs should be considered when planning appropriate in school support. If the CYP already has an EHC plan, bring up any concerns you have during the annual review meeting or request a more urgent meeting to address new concerns.

Expected provision for SEN CYPs is outlined in the Provision Expected at SEN Support (PEaSS) guidance.

What about if the family have English as an additional language (EAL)?

It is important to take further steps to support families who may not be as able to communicate in English so that the family and CYP understand the process of reintegration and can contribute as fully as any other family. Services such as INTRAN can support with interpretation and translation and the Norfolk EAL Advisory Service can provide additional advice, support and guidance.

Can part-time timetables be used as part of the reintegration plan?

A part-time timetable should not be used to manage a CYP's behaviour and must only be in place for the shortest time necessary. A reduced timetable should not be part of your reintegration strategy by default.

Any pastoral support programme or other agreement should have a time limit by which point the CYP is expected to attend full-time, either at school or alternative provision. There should also be formal arrangements in place for regularly reviewing it with the CYP and their parents.

In agreeing to a part-time timetable, a school has agreed to a CYP being absent from school for part of the week or day and therefore must treat absence as authorised. Please see further guidance about attendance here.

Who can I contact if I need more help and guidance?

• If you would like further support for an individual CYP and/or around your whole school culture and ethos, please contact our Inclusion and SEND team on 01603 307736 or email inclusionandsend@norfolk.gov.uk.
• Please see updated DfE guidance on school suspensions and permanent exclusions.
• See Norfolk exclusions guidance here. If you require any further advice about the exclusions process, call the Exclusions Team on 01603 307727 or email csexclusions@norfolk.gov.uk.
• Every school has access to an Attendance and Entitlement Officer for help and advice on issues concerning CYP specific attendance. They can be contacted via email at csattendance@norfolk.gov.uk or via the attendance duty line on 01603 223681.
• Please follow this link for further information and guidance if you have concerns around safeguarding.