Introduction
There is a clear disproportionality in the number of young people from particular ethnic backgrounds who are excluded from school. Therefore, the school must take proactive steps to promote equality of opportunity between young people of different ethnic groups to satisfy its Public Sector Equality Duty.
If the young person is from a statistically vulnerable ethnic background, but the school has not taken proactive steps to support young people who share their ethnicity, then the governing board will need to consider this.
Consider the school's pack, the exclusion letter, and any evidence you have obtained from the school. In addition, consider the school's policies, particularly their behaviour and exclusion policy. You might also want to obtain the school's exclusion numbers by ethnic background through a freedom of information request. You will then be able to see if the school's own exclusion numbers disproportionately impact certain ethnic groups.
Next step?
Answer the question: Has the school taken proactive steps to support young people from statistically vulnerable ethnicities from school exclusion?
If the answer is no, consider using the Suggested Wording document: Argument to the Governors - Exclusion of a pupil from an ethnic minority background
