New evidence shows Mayor of London’s Inclusion Charter helping to boost school safety as exclusions and suspensions fall to half of national average

• Latest data shows city-wide reductions in persistent absenteeism, suspensions and exclusions, following the first full year of Mayor of London’s Inclusion Charter

• London Violence Reduction Unit’s £1.4m investment in UNICEF UK’s Rights Respecting Schools Award reaches more than 730 schools and 360,000 pupils

• Independent evaluation from the University of Strathclyde evaluation shows London students in participating schools feel safer, more included, and more connected

• The Mayor of London’s VRU, the first in England and Wales, has invested in more than half a million targeted interventions and positive opportunities for young people

 

New evidence shows that London Violence Reduction Unit’s (VRU) investment in a vital programme to support children’s rights is successfully boosting safety and a sense of belonging in the capital’s schools.

Following the first full year of the Mayor of London’s Inclusion Charter being implemented, the capital has achieved significant, city-wide reductions in persistent absenteeism, suspensions, and exclusions.

New data reveals that London’s school suspension and permanent exclusion rates are now half the national average.

The Mayor of London has invested more than £100m in young people and through his VRU, he has committed to and led a public health approach to tackling violence. In seven years, the VRU has invested in more than half a million targeted interventions and opportunities for young people. Evidence shows this approach, which centres on prevention and early intervention, is working with ONS figures showing a 15 per cent drop in knife crime in the last 12 months.

The establishment of the Mayor of London’s Inclusion Charter, which has been publicly backed by 30 London boroughs and 30 national charities, has coincided with continued reductions in exclusions, suspensions and absenteeism. This is critical as evidence shows young people are twice as likely to be involved in violence in the first 12 months of being permanently excluded.*

Data shows a 14 per cent reduction in the exclusion rate for the last academic year, alongside a 7 per cent fall in suspensions and 2 per cent drop in absenteeism. In boroughs that have fully committed to the principles of the Charter and are delivering several VRU-funded programmes, those reductions are even greater.

Comparing the last academic year’s data to 2022/23 before the Charter was in place, Sutton has seen a 63 per cent reduction in the rate of permanent exclusions, a 22 per cent fall in the rate of suspensions and an 18 per cent drop in the rate of persistent absence. Lewisham has seen suspensions fall 11 per cent and persistent absence by similar levels, while Wandsworth has seen permanent exclusions fall by a third, suspensions by five per cent and persistent absenteeism by 12 per cent.

The VRU established the Charter in February 2024 to combat rising absenteeism and school suspensions. Keeping children in school ensures they do not lose out on vital learning. 

A cornerstone of the Charter is a £1.4m investment in UNICEF UK’s Right’s Respecting Schools Award. The funding provides all state-funded schools with free access to tools to embed children’s rights into their ethos, policy and practice. More than 730 schools have taken advantage of this offer, introducing inclusive practices to over 360,000 children in London.

New research published today that was commissioned by the VRU and carried out independently by the University of Strathclyde, found that pupils and teachers feel safer, more included, and more connected in schools that have fully embraced the programme.

The 12-month evaluation surveyed almost 2,000 children and teachers across primary and secondary schools. It revealed that students in rights-respecting schools are far more likely to feel safe, heard by adults, and have a genuine sense of belonging. The findings show that putting children’s rights at the heart of education strengthens student voice, improves relationships, and reinforces safeguarding.

The report found that clear boundaries, consistent rules and the importance of consequences, all had a positive impact on the behaviour and attitude of pupils in schools with an established rights-respecting schools approach. 

It demonstrates the impact of the investment and the programme, which remains free to all state-funded education settings in London for the next two years. Almost a quarter of all schools have now signed up and the Mayor is encouraging schools not yet signed up to take advantage.

The programme is part of the VRU’s £16m investment in targeted interventions to drive down lost learning by keeping children in school where they are safe. This includes delivering oracy interventions in primary schools, with monitoring data reflecting strong progress as 96 per cent of children narrowed the communication gap to their peers, leading to improved communication skills and fewer physical incidents in the playground. And funding a mentoring programme in pupil referral units in every London borough for 2,200 young people that is leading to increases in attendance.

Today, the Mayor and Lib Peck, Director of London’s VRU, were joined by UNICEF UK, at a visit to ST Augustine's School in Kilburn to see the impact of children’s rights and its progress as a rights respecting school.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “I firmly believe that the best way to keep our young people safe and give them the best possible start in life is to keep them in school. Evidence shows why that’s crucial, with young people twice as likely to be involved in violence after being excluded.

“It’s why my Violence Reduction Unit has invested so much into London’s Inclusion Charter and it’s pleasing to see exclusion and suspension rates drop to half the national average.

“Our investment and partnership with UNICEF UK shows that when we invest in children’s rights and support London’s hardworking teachers with the right tools, we create classrooms where young people feel safe, feel they belong and can thrive. I urge more schools to take advantage of this game-changing offer as we continue to build a safer, fairer London for everyone.”

Lib Peck, Director of London’s Violence Reduction Unit, said: “Keeping young people in school and safe is a critical part of the Violence Reduction Unit’s approach to driving down violence in London.

“The strength of London’s Inclusion Charter has always been genuine partnership and whilst we have seen reductions in exclusions, suspensions and persistent absenteeism, it’s clear there is more to do to ensure no child misses out on learning and becomes vulnerable to violence.

“The independent evaluation shows the true value of putting children’s rights front and centre. It changes how safe and connected they feel to school. Almost a quarter of London schools have now signed up and we have built incredible momentum, but we want to increase that number so that we work to ensure young people are safe and supported to thrive.”

Anna Kettley, chief impact and influence officer at UNICEF UK, said: “Every child and young person should feel that they belong, that their voice matters and that their rights are respected. That is what UNICEF UK’s Rights Respecting Schools Programme helps make possible. Schools like this one in West London show how putting the rights of their students at the heart of school life can shape a whole school ethos, really helping the young people in their care to feel safe, included and confident to learn, grow and thrive.”

Rachel Kelly, Headteacher of St Augustine’s CE High School, said: “Educating our young people about their rights is an incredibly important part of preparing them for their future.

“These conversations are not simply about teaching students what their rights are; they are about creating a school culture where young people feel safe, valued, listened to and that they genuinely belong. When students understand their rights and know that adults will listen to them, they are more confident to speak up, seek support and contribute positively to their school community.

“For us, the Rights Respecting Schools programme provides an important framework for making these principles part of everyday school life. It strengthens relationships between students and staff, supports our safeguarding work and gives young people meaningful opportunities to have their voices heard.”

Rayan, Year 13 student at St Augustine’s CE High School, said: “Rights respecting schools is very important as it allows students to be given the space so that they can speak freely and communicate about their thoughts and issues to teachers who are there for them every day, without them feeling restricted and unheard. 

“It’s our right to feel protected and respected no matter the colour, background, race or religion.  Young people should feel they are always valued and appreciated in a school like we do at St Augustine’s.”

Sara Rahman, Director of Children's Services at Lewisham council, said: “We’re pleased to see suspensions and permanent exclusions continuing to fall in Lewisham. This reflects the hard work and commitment of our schools to inclusion, anti-racism and building positive relationships through a variety of initiatives such as the Tackling Race Inequality in Education Pledge.

“While there is still more to do, particularly to address the disproportionate impact of exclusions on Black Caribbean pupils, it’s encouraging to see more young people staying engaged in education and getting the support they need. We’re grateful to the Violence Reduction Unit for its investment and support, and I’d like to thank all the staff and partners helping to make this progress possible.”

Sara Martin, Strategic Lead for Children known to social care at Sutton Virtual School, said: “In Sutton, the Virtual School has worked in partnership with the Attachment and Research Community to develop a comprehensive programme that helps schools to embed inclusive, relational practice and build supportive and inclusive environments where children have the support they need to thrive. To date, 81 per cent of participating schools have reported improved alternatives to isolation and exclusion, including reductions in suspensions. This, alongside investment in targeted programmes funded by the Violence Reduction Unit, have fostered a strong culture of collaboration across the borough and schools are sharing their expertise and experience to support others.”

Lisa Fenaroli, Director of Education at Wandsworth council, said: “Wandsworth schools have seen tangible benefits from the London VRU’s programmes over the past year. The Rights Respecting Schools Award and PRU mentoring scheme in particular have strengthened our borough’s wider work on belonging, equalities and engagement, helping pupils feel more connected to their school communities and supporting improved attendance and positive participation across the borough.”