The following information is available in 35 languages on this page: Expulsion factsheet.

What is expulsion?

Principals can expel students for two reasons:

• students who show serious behaviours of concern and when plans to manage their behaviour have not worked.

• students who are 17 years and over who have not taken part in learning.

Principals will think about how the school has supported your child’s learning, taking into account their needs and background before they decide to expel.

Before an expulsion occurs, the principal will contact you to let you know they are thinking of expelling your child. They will issue a written notice of potential expulsion and invite you and your child to a meeting to give the reasons and talk about what will happen if they expel your child.

You can bring a support person with you to the meeting. A support person may be someone who can provide you and/or your child with emotional or practical support.

After the written notice date you will have seven school days to provide a response to the school with reasons why your child should not be expelled. The principal will use this response as part of the decision-making process.

What happens if my child is expelled?

The principal and Director, Education Leadership will decide together if a student is to be expelled. Within 24 hours of deciding to expel a student, the principal must tell the student and their parents or carers and notify the NSW Department of Education.

If your child is under 17 years old and expelled because of their behaviour, the principal must find a new school or alternative setting to continue learning within 15 school days.

If your child is 17 years and over, you and your child should look for options to continue learning or transition to work.

What information can I get from the school?

You can ask the school for more information about what has happened and why. The school should explain to you the reasoning behind any decisions, what actions will happen and what to do if you have an issue.

Can I appeal an expulsion?

Yes, if you believe that the principal and Director, Educational Leadership made an unfair decision or didn’t follow the policy and procedures correctly. Refer to the Appeals resource.

More information on advocating for your child is available, as well as our School Community Charter that outlines ways to communicate with schools.

Can I make a complaint about an appeal outcome?

You can appeal a decision to expel a student as set out in the Suspension and Expulsion procedures.

If your appeal is unsuccessful you cannot complain about the original decision or the outcome of the appeal. There is no further appeal or review available within the department on the specific decision to expel your child.

You can consider contacting external review bodies, such as the NSW Ombudsman, to discuss how they can help.

If you have concerns about the Student Behaviour policy or Suspension and Expulsion procedures, you can submit a complaint via our online complaint form.

Telephone interpreter service

If you wish to contact the school and need assistance with English please call the telephone interpreter service on 131 450, tell them what language you need and ask the operator to phone the school. The operator will get an interpreter on the line to assist you with your conversation. You will not be charged for this service.