Suspension Data and

reducing suspension

The ACT Education Directorate is committed to student wellbeing and works to ensure school environments are safe, respectful, motivating and promote positive connections between individuals and their community. With a wellbeing focus, Education is working to enhance positive student behaviour and engagement, with the aim of improving learning outcomes and reducing suspension rates in Canberra Public Schools.

Students at the centre

The Schools for All Children and Young People (2015) identified students at the centre as the vision for ACT schools. The report identified that student-centred schools involve: understanding and addressing individual needs, providing a physically and emotionally safe environment for students and their families, investing in high-quality relationships with students, acknowledging important linkages between wellbeing, learning and behaviour, engaging the learner, intervening early, the need for collaboration and the importance of a whole school approach. A student centred school uses a prevention and early intervention approach to address issues which may lead to suspension.

Suspension

Suspensionis the process of temporarily withdrawing a student from school activities and school grounds, placing them in the care of their parents/person with parental responsibility, when the student displays behaviours described under section 36 of theEducation Act (2004). Suspension is used when the student’s behaviour has necessitated the need for the school to:

  • restore a safe learning and working environment for the school community;
  • establish or review safety risk assessments and support plans for the student, to assist a successful return to school;
  • communicate the significance of a behaviour and its impact;
  • seek additional services or supports where necessary for the student, parents/ carers and school community to address underlying reasons for the behaviour leading to the suspension, as well as the necessary safety controls.

Safety

Sometimes suspension from school is necessary and is used in accordance with Section 36 of the Education Act (2004). This may include situations where the principal decides action is required to address a situation where a student threatens the safety and wellbeing of another student attending the school, a member of the staff of the school or another member of the school community.

Prevention

Canberra Public Schools use a range of prevention and early intervention approaches when students are demonstrating behaviour which may prevent them from positively engaging with school. Developing students’ social emotionalskills is an important part of promoting student wellbeing. The Australian Curriculum’s Personal and Social Capabilities provide direction to schools to develop lessons which enhance these skills, and schools are required by the Safe and Supportive Schools Policy to include Social Emotional Learning (SEL) approaches in their curriculum. SEL is the process through which students acquire and effectively apply the knowledge, attitudes, and skills necessary to understand and manage their emotions; understand and show empathy for others; establish and maintain positive respectful relationships; set and achieve positive goals and make responsible decisions. A review of the research literature (1) indicates that students receiving a multiyear, integrated effort in quality SEL instruction demonstrated:

  • a reduction in interpersonal violence
  • better academic performance
  • improved attitudes and behaviours: greater motivation to learn, deeper commitment to school, increased time devoted to schoolwork, and better classroom behaviour
  • fewer negative behaviours: decreased disruptive class behaviour, noncompliance, aggression, delinquent acts, and disciplinary referrals
  • reduced emotional distress: fewer reports of student depression, anxiety, stress, and social withdrawal
  • reduced drug and alcohol use and school dropout.

Early Intervention

All schools have access to school psychologists to provide counselling to students. All high schools also have staff with access to pastoral care/ wellbeing coordinators (or equivalent) and youth support workers who provide other personalised supports to improve students’ individual wellbeing and engagement with learning.

Each school network in the ACT is also supported by a Network Student Engagement Team (NSET). NSETs are multidisciplinary teams that work with schools to address disability, learning, complex behaviour and wellbeing issues that are have an impact on a student’s engagement with learning. NSETs also provide a targeted support response, explicitly designed to address student suspensions. Under this process NSET team members work with the suspended student as well as their family and school to address underlying issues that contributed to the suspension.

(1) Durlak, J. A.,Weissberg, R. P., Dymnicki, A. B., Taylor, R. D. & Schellinger, K. B.. 2011. The Impact of Enhancing Students’ Social and Emotional Learning: A Meta-Analysis of School-Based Universal Interventions. Child Development, Vol 82, No 1, pg 405-432)

Zins, J.E., & Elias, M.J. (2006). Social and emotional learning. In G.G. Bear & K.M. Minke (Eds.), Children’s needs III: Development, prevention, and intervention (pp. 1-13). Bethesda, MD: National Association of School Psychologists. (accessed 22/7/15)

Suspension Data

Each year, the Directorate records and analyses suspension data to assist with planning and improvement.

Year / Primary Schools / High Schools / Colleges
2013 / Total Enrolments / 20,538 / 9,892 / 6,078
Suspension Incidents / 632 / 1,156 / 53
Incidents per 100 Students / 3 / 12 / 1
Suspension Days / 1038 / 2409 / 85
Days per 100 Students / 5 / 24 / 1
Students Suspended / 294 / 562 / 50
Suspension Rate / 1.4% / 5.7% / 0.8%
2014 / Total Enrolments / 21,429 / 9,841 / 6,258
Suspension Incidents / 808 / 915 / 38
Incidents per 100 Students / 4 / 9 / 1
Suspension Days / 1398 / 2103 / 104
Days per 100 Students / 7 / 21 / 2
Students Suspended / 317 / 487 / 33
Suspension Rate / 1.5% / 4.9% / 0.5%
2015 / Total Enrolments / 22,442 / 9,947 / 6,446
Suspension Incidents / 723 / 1,079 / 36
Incidents per 100 Students / 3 / 11 / 1
Suspension Days / 1312 / 2192 / 87
Days per 100 Students / 6 / 22 / 1
Students Suspended / 318 / 560 / 32
Suspension Rate / 1.4% / 5.6% / 0.5%
2016 / Total Enrolments / 23,630 / 10,258 / 6,487
Suspension Incidents / 819 / 1,111 / 63
Incidents per 100 Students / 3 / 11 / 1
Suspension Days / 1,460 / 2,106 / 144
Days per 100 Students / 6 / 21 / 2
Students Suspended / 343 / 535 / 55
Suspension Rate / 1.5% / 5.2% / 0.8%
2017 / Total Enrolments / 24,739 / 10,571 / 6,680
Suspension Incidents / 886 / 1,229 / 55
Incidents per 100 Students / 4 / 12 / 1
Suspension Days / 1,652 / 2,464 / 150
Days per 100 Students / 7 / 23 / 2
Students Suspended / 384 / 621 / 48
Suspension Rate / 1.6% / 5.9% / 0.7%

Source: ACT Education Directorate Data, ACT School Census August 2017

*This data only represents public schools. Catholic Education Office (CEO) and Association of Independent Schools (AIS) data can be requested through the office of CEO and AIS – refer recommendation 11.7 SFA report.

More Information

The following policies and procedures are available from the Education Directorate website at

-Suspension, Transfer and Exclusion Policy

-Safe and Supportive Schools Policy

-Education Participation (Enrolment and Attendance) Policy

The EDU’s Suspension, Transfer and Exclusion policy is currently undergoing the policy review process, community consultation is expected to commence at the beginning of 2018.

Schools for All Children and Young People can be accessed at

For further information about this factsheet contactthe Student Wellbeing section of the Student Engagement Branch at the Education Directorate by

Feedback about the application of a Directorate policy should be raised with:

  • the school principal, where applicable in the first instance
  • the Directorate’s Liaison Unit on (02) 6205 5429
  • online at

See also the Complaints Policy on the Directorate’s website.

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