Guidance for Schools : Off-Site Direction

During an off-site direction, a school may want to discuss with their linked Inclusion Adviser all onward pathways for a pupil. The forum for this would be a Local Planning Meeting. An overview of Local Planning Meetings is outlined below. 

As part of the Local Authority, Local First Inclusion Project aimed at reducing school exclusions local schools are invited to attend Local Planning Meetings. The purpose of these meetings is to maintain pupil placements within their local school and local communities through collaborative decision making with local headteachers and other professionals.  

An Inclusion Adviser is linked to each grouping. They will facilitate regular Local Planning Meetings where students who are at risk of permanent exclusion will be discussed.  

The central aims of the Local Planning Meeting are to: 

• Reach agreement of what provision pupils can/should access in-school prior to any next step in their educational journey.   
• Develop a shared language and understanding between Norfolk schools to ensure pupils are supported to embark on a successful next step on their educational journey, where appropriate   
• Facilitate dynamic and effective partnership working that builds relationships and trust between local schools to showcase the inclusive practice already in place for all pupils.   
• Ensure that the right pupils access the right support/next step at the right time. 

When a pupil is raised by a school as being at risk of permanent exclusion, the linked Inclusion Adviser will arrange a meeting with that individual school to discuss support that can be offered. This will then be reviewed following an agreed period of time. 

If it is a suitable next step, your Inclusion Adviser will add the student to the agenda of the next Local Planning Meeting.  

The purpose of the Local Planning Meeting is to discuss the presenting needs of a student and collaboratively decide what is a suitable next step that is in the best interest of the pupil.  

Further information about Local Planning Meetings can be found in Appendix 1: Local planning meeting overview.  

An overview of how Off-Site Direction might fit into planned interventions for pupils at risk of exclusion can be found in Appendix 2: Diagram to show how Off-site Direction fits within wider support for pupils at risk of exclusion.