Policy
Makers

Lost learning is when a child is not at school, engaged in the classroom, participating in their education, or is forced to move out of their local community setting. This includes suspensions, exclusions, absences, internal truancy and forced moves out of school.

Lost learning is a continuum. Children who face permanent exclusion usually experience other forms of lost learning first – they are early signs which give us an opportunity to prevent lost learning.

Our Inclusive Leadership Course equips school leaders to diagnose lost learning – then design and implement strong universal approaches that improve outcomes for children.

When we understand that exclusions are along a continuum, we also understand that every school deals with at least some forms of exclusion. Debate around zero exclusions and zero tolerance create an unhelpful distraction – we need schools designed to prevent escalation along the continuum.

DISADVANTAGED CHILDREN ARE HARDEST HIT

Children with the most challenging life experiences are overrepresented across all officially recorded types of lost learning.

They are affected at twice the rate of the national average.

The children most likely to experience lost learning include those:

• living in poverty
• with special educational needs
• involved with children’s social services
• from specific ethnic communities

IMPACTS

Lost learning has profound impacts. These include:

• persistent absence
• suspension
• permanent exclusions

All of these closely correlate with poorer attainment at 16, and a lower likelihood of accessing further education. Permanent exclusions and suspension and also increase the likelihood of involvement with offending.

What is Whole-School Inclusion?

Schools working to reduce lost learning share common features. To achieve a sustainable reduction in lost learning, our approach considers the four key principles of whole-school inclusion:

1. Build inclusion from the universal up
2. Lead from the top to create a culture of inclusion
3. Community collaboration
4. Measure inclusion to support continuous improvement

1. Build inclusion from the universal up: Inclusion is in the very fabric of the school. Inclusive schools design their systems, practices, and interactions with the knowledge that all children have learning, wellbeing, and safeguarding needs. This reduces reactive interventions – or support which is ‘additional and different’ – and increases successful re-integration.

2. Lead from the top to create a culture of inclusion: Inclusion is led from the top and implemented by all staff. An expert senior leader prioritises whole-school inclusion and brings together work across the school under a single strategic approach. All staff are empowered and supported to develop and repair strong, trusted relationships with pupils.

3. Community collaboration: Inclusive schools operate as civic institutions at the heart of their local community. They work with their community to address barriers to learning and engagement, as well as partnering with parents and families. Schools start by considering ‘what’s strong?’ not ‘what’s wrong?’. They recognise strengths in their own practice, and the practice of their local communities, including local authorities, voluntary organisations and the community sector.

4. Measure inclusion to support continuous improvement: Inclusion never stops. Schools see inclusion as a strategic objective and core component of their continuous improvement. They use quality data on the student experience and lost learning to inform their school improvement plan, and can demonstrate how their efforts are creating better outcomes.

WORKING TOGETHER WITH EXPERTS

The work in the solutions report work builds on the expertise of the Who is Losing Learning? Solutions Council. They have provided invaluable guidance throughout our evidence-gathering and policy development process.

Their insights have guided and enriched the research and analysis in this report, incorporating views from hundreds of parents, school leaders working in disadvantaged communities, and local authorities supporting vulnerable children.

While IPPR and The Difference are responsible for the final recommendations in the solutions report, the Council has played a crucial role in helping us carry out a thoughtful and nuanced exploration of these issues.

This work is underpinned by the expertise and experience of the Who is Losing Learning? Solutions Council, who have provided invaluable guidance throughout the process of hearing evidence and developing policy solutions.

Their insight has guided and enriched the research and analysis presented in this report, drawing on the views of hundreds of parents, a swathe of school leaders doing this important work now in some of the most disadvantaged communities and local authorities working to support and protect the most vulnerable children.

Whilst the final recommendations are the views of IPPR and The Difference, the Council has played a crucial role in ensuring a thoughtful and nuanced exploration of the issue.

“I am proud to be chairing a council of advisors drawn across education and civil society to hear from teachers, their students and their families and to build together a response to the shocking picture in this report. Going forward, we need policy which ensures that those children who stand to gain the most from school do not continue to get the least.”

Pepe Di’lasio – General Secretary ASCL

Chair of the ‘Who is Losing Learning?’ Council