• As school exclusions reach record numbers, Mission 44, launches ‘Nothing Happens in Isolation’ aimed at supporting students most at risk of exclusion through early intervention
• Mission 44 releases first of its kind report which explores opinions of those at the heart of the issue – including teachers, parents and students
• Exclusions disproportionately impact vulnerable students, affecting their futures, and disruptive behaviour affects all students. Early intervention supports all students by fostering an inclusive, calm learning environment
• Mission 44’s report found that, in most cases, teachers spotted early warning signs from students that go on to be excluded, further highlighting the crucial role of early intervention
• Mission 44, launched by Sir Lewis Hamilton in 2021 to build a fairer, more inclusive future for young people, is calling on the Government to take action to address the root causes of exclusions, in an effort to turn the tide on record exclusion rates across UK schools

As part of Global Education week, Mission 44 is launching ‘Nothing Happens In Isolation’ – a campaign to reduce UK school exclusions and support at-risk students, teachers and schools. Mission 44 is urging the government to address the root causes behind record-high exclusion rates.

Figures from earlier in the year show that school exclusions have reached record numbers, with 9,400 children permanently excluded in the 2022/23 school year. Children at most risk of exclusion are those from vulnerable backgrounds, with an excluded child eight times more likely to have had contact with social services, three times more likely to have special needs and 17 times more likely to have mental health issues. Exclusions, however, not only limit a child’s future opportunities but do not address these root causes of poor behaviour.

The issue of exclusions is a personal one to Mission 44’s founder Sir Lewis Hamilton, having been unfairly excluded himself during his time at school, before being reinstated in his classroom. He has spoken about the impact this had on his mental health and his fears that his future as a racing driver would have been limited.

Now, Mission 44 has published a first of its kind report, alongside research agency Public First, in which teachers, parents and young people shared their views on exclusions and how best to address the rising cases. The findings – based on extensive polling and qualitative research – show that all groups agreed that an approach which ‘tackles the causes of poor behaviour’ would be most successful.  

These findings and growing impact of exclusions across the UK inform the basis for Mission 44’s Nothing Happens in Isolation campaign, which calls on the Government to invest in initiatives which focus on prevention, in order to tackle the challenges affecting vulnerable young people and reduce the incidences of exclusions. The policy solutions outlined by Mission 44 aim to create a more inclusive education system, which focuses on understanding students’ individual needs and providing them with the tools they need for success. These include; 

• Ensuring each child at risk has a mentor/role model they identify with, through: 

• • Increased funding in mentorship programmes across the UK 

• • Match-funding Mission 44’s investment in increasing diversity in teaching and senior school leadership 

• Introducing mandatory inclusion training for all teachers and school governors to ensure that each students individual needs are understood, and teachers understand the long-term impact of exclusions 

• Introducing a national student experience survey to ensure students’ sense of wellbeing and belonging is measured

The need for these early intervention methods was underpinned by report findings which highlighted that 97% of teachers who knew an excluded child well, saw signs of potential exclusion ahead of time. Of these, 64% believed the signs could have been noticed months earlier, with 39% saying they could have been identified at least a year before. Additionally, 48% of these teachers thought early intervention by their school could have prevented the exclusion altogether.  

The report also found that perception of behaviour in schools is overwhelmingly negative amongst teachers, parents and students alike. Students consider it the most important issue facing schools (54%), as did parents (50%). Additionally, nearly half of the general public (48%) perceived students as poorly behaved, compared to only 43% who viewed them as well behaved. Teachers, however, highlighted systemic issues, identifying school funding as the most significant problem (53%), with behaviour (49%) following closely.

Each excluded child costs the government an average of £170,000 in alternative provisions, amounting to £1.6 billion for the 2022/23 cohort. Redirecting these funds toward early intervention in mainstream schools could reduce reliance on costly alternatives while fostering a more efficient and inclusive education system. Early intervention not only benefits at-risk students but also supports a positive learning environment for all by reducing classroom disruption. Mission 44 believes now is the time to act, creating educational spaces where every child can thrive.

The full report can be viewed here.

Find out more about Mission 44’s Nothing Happens in Isolation campaign at preventingexclusions.com