Full Breakdown
Rise in Prejudice-Based School Suspensions Highlights Funding Gaps and Data Shortfalls
5/27/2026, 8:25:41 PM
Surge in Prejudice-Based Suspensions
From 2020-21 to 2024-25 English schools logged over 55,000 suspensions for racist abuse, more than 13,000 for homophobic or transphobic abuse and about 1,600 for disablist (ableist) abuse – a 68 % rise in mentions of prejudice-based abuse. Because a suspension can record up to three reasons, the figures reflect mentions.
Background and Funding Cuts
Specialists link the rise to cuts in government-funded outreach, loss of contracts for charities such as Show Racism the Red Card and the Anti-Bullying Alliance, and no mandatory teacher training on prejudice-based bullying. Social-media harms and divisive political rhetoric also contribute.
Impact on Students and Schools
The trend coincides with severe mental-health outcomes, most starkly the suicide of Sam Coutts, an autistic student who suffered disablist bullying. Parents report feeling excluded, while a 21-year-old LGBTQ+ ambassador said “my life’s amazing now” after sharing his experience of homophobic slurs. Schools lack sufficient youth-work and specialist inclusion teams.
Official Statements & Responses
A Department for Education spokesperson called the data “shocking” and said discrimination has no place in schools. The ministry pledged expert support, enhanced teacher-training and clearer suspension guidance for schools facing behaviour challenges. An Equality and Human Rights Commission representative urged regular collection of bullying data by protected characteristic.
Criticism & Calls for Reform
The NASUWT union warned against demonising young people and called for better recording of pupil-to-pupil bullying. ASCL General Secretary Pepe Di’lasio said exclusions are a last resort and societal issues cannot be solved in classrooms. Charities including the Anti-Bullying Alliance and Show Racism the Red Card say funding cuts forced them to scale back training, cutting reach dramatically.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
DfE figures count each reason a pupil is named on a suspension, so the 55,000+ racist-related suspensions may include multiple entries for the same student. No legislation currently obliges schools to record bullying incidents, so informal handling and unreported cases are omitted. Analysts say the true prevalence of prejudice-based bullying is likely under-reported.
Verbatim Quotes
- “horrifying but not surprising” — Kirsten Coutts, mother of Sam Coutts
- “Di'lasio added: "The problems we are seeing are huge societal issues which cannot be solved solely in the classroom.” — Pepe Di'lasio, General Secretary, Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL)
- “demonising young people” — Matt Wrack, General Secretary, NASUWT
- “ A spokesperson for the Equality and Human Rights Commission said: "There’s currently no legal obligation on schools to record pupil-to-pupil bullying, but bullying because of a protected characteristic should be dealt with very seriously, and schools are required to ensure they do not discriminate in the way they deal with it.” — Equality and Human Rights Commission spokesperson
What’s Next
The Department for Education plans a national anti-bullying strategy that will make recording of prejudice-based incidents mandatory and allocate funding for outreach. The Equality and Human Rights Commission is expected to issue updated data-collection guidance. Restored charity funding and clearer school policies are expected to curb the rise in exclusions.
