ABSTRACT
Exclusion from school has received much attention in recent years as a result of evidence indicating a significant rise in the number of exclusions (BCC 1995: DfEE 1995: The Guardian 1996: Ofsted 1996: Times Educational Supplement 1997). Although there has been considerable commentary on the issue of exclusion by the media, government and educational researchers, very little of that commentary has been derived from the views of the young people directly affected. Recently, the Commission for Racial Equality published a ‘good practice’ guide to exclusion (1997). One of their many suggestions was that pupils be involved in decisionmaking, particularly with respect to behaviour standards. The teachers in the study found that pupil involvement was key to co-operation and good discipline, while the young people said that being involved increased their motivation and made them feel part of the school (p. 6). Clearly, the involvement of students had a positive effect for students themselves, teachers, classrooms and schools.
