Plan to fine Devon schools £21k for each exclusion
A council is planning to fine schools £21,000 for each child excluded.
Conservative-run Devon County Council believes it can raise more than £5 million a year as part of its plan to tackle rampant overspending in education.
According to a council report, the scheme was designed to “encourage schools with high exclusion rates to explore every possible way to keep children and young people in school”.
Liberal Democrat councilor Alan Connett said schools needed “final approval” without the threat of financial penalties. The council has been contacted for comment.
The county council estimates that 247 children will be excluded in the 2024–25 academic year.
If this happened and the levy was implemented, the total fine could be less than £5.2 million.
Connett said: “Head teachers should be able to give final sanction for children who are chronically disruptive.
“Fining schools £21,000 for excluding a child is not helping the school or helping the child.
“This is yet another example of the chaos that is currently going on at Devon County Council regarding all things children related.”
The council has been hit by increasing financial problems in children’s services and has a debt of £163 million.
This was expected to be dealt with by a £95 million government bailout package agreed in March It came out in November The council had already spent over £15 million.
Plans are part of a Consultation on funding of schools Which is going to end on Tuesday.
Devon County Council has not yet responded to criticism of the plans.