Once a decision is made, the Principal must write immediately to you and tell you about your right of appeal against the decision to an independent Expulsion Appeal Tribunal which is convened by the Education Authority in which the school is located, the time limit set by the Education Authority for lodging an appeal and where the appeal should be lodged.
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What will happen before my child is expelled?
Before an expulsion can take place there must be a meeting between you, the Principal, Chief Executive of the Education Authority and the Chairperson of the Board of Governors. Your child can ask to attend this meeting if they wish. If you fail to attend this meeting your child may still be expelled. This meeting must include a discussion about the future of your child’s education.
If your child attends an Education Authority controlled school, the Principal must prepare papers and send these to the Suspensions and Expulsions Panel of the Education Authority where they go to school. The papers will then be sent to a committee called the ‘Committee on the Suspension and Expulsion of Pupils’.
If your child attends a Catholic Council Maintained School (CCMS), a voluntary school or a grant-maintained school, the Board of Governors of their school makes the final decision about whether they will be expelled.
Can my child’s school expel them without any warning or alternative consequence?
No, your child must have been suspended at least once before they can be expelled.
I feel like my child has been unfairly expelled, what can I do?
Every school must have procedures for expulsions. You or your child can ask to see these. Your child should always ask their school to put them in touch with an Education Welfare Officer if they have been expelled from school. The rules can be slightly different depending on what type of school they attend. The Education Authority will be able to advise you on this.
Can my child appeal their suspension?
There is no right of appeal for either you or your child against a school’s decision to suspend them. However, if the Principal and Board of Governors have failed to follow the school’s policy and procedures relating to suspension, or the decision to suspend is unreasonable or unlawful, then it is possible to challenge the decision by way of a judicial review in the High Court.
If a challenge is successful then the Board of Governors of the school may be directed to remove the suspension from a pupil’s school records.
If you think you have been suspended unfairly then you should contact the Children’s Law Centre on 08088085678 or email: info@childrenslawcentre.org for advice.