While the number of children being expelled from schools across England continues to climb, Hillingdon is going in the opposite direction – and the latest figures show just how far it has come.
Record-low exclusion numbers in Hillingdon
According to Hillingdon Council figures, permanent exclusions fell by 23 per cent in 2024/25 compared with the previous year. This marks the lowest number on record, surpassing even the levels seen during the Covid-19 pandemic when schools were partially closed. At the same time, total suspensions decreased by nine per cent year on year, to 1,977 among the borough’s more than 56,000 pupils.
The drop is in stark contrast to the wider national picture. Across England, both permanent exclusions and suspensions have climbed sharply, pushing the country’s exclusion rate to its highest levels in years. Hillingdon’s figures have been steadily declining and are now significantly below the national benchmark.
Northwood School’s therapeutic approach
At the heart of the borough-wide trend is Northwood School, where head teacher Mehul Shah has overseen a consistent fall in exclusions since taking over three years ago. The school has not permanently excluded a single pupil in that time.
Mr Shah, speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS), said the key lies in a combination of high expectations and a compassionate response to challenging behaviour. “We prioritise happiness as being essential if we’re going to have successful children,” he explained. “It’s about having really high standards right from the start when the children join the school so that they never veer into anything more wrong.”
Instead of responding with strict sanctions when a pupil refuses to cooperate, the school uses a technique called ‘therapeutic thinking’. Staff are trained to avoid escalating confrontations. Mr Shah said: “You don’t elevate a situation when a child is saying no. You don’t chase after them. You don’t shout even more at them because they’re not in a state where they can respond positively.”
Support for SEN through the ‘green room’
Northwood has also introduced a dedicated ‘green room’ for students with special educational needs (SEN). The space allows pupils to step away from the classroom environment before they reach the point of sanction, giving them a quieter, less stimulating setting to regulate their emotions. Mr Shah noted that much poor behaviour “bubbles up when there is a lot of stimulus around,” and giving pupils an early opportunity to withdraw has proven effective.
The strategy is about intervention before difficulties escalate. Staff monitor pupils closely and use the green room as a positive, not punitive, option. This approach, combined with de-escalation techniques, is seen as a major reason why the school has been able to avoid permanent exclusions entirely.
Changing reasons for exclusion in Hillingdon
Borough-wide, the reasons for permanent exclusion have shifted over the past three years. Persistent disruptive behaviour has become the most common reason for the first time in three years. In contrast, exclusions for physical assault and substance use have fallen dramatically, suggesting that early intervention may be preventing more serious incidents before they happen.
However, exclusions are still used when necessary. In the 2024/25 academic year, there were 33 permanent exclusions in Hillingdon. Mr Shah explained that the decision is always made with the wider school community in mind. “The main thing for me as a head teacher to think about is, by excluding the pupil will the rest of the school community be able to work in a less hindered fashion, and a more safe fashion?” he said. “So often when I’m considering exclusion, it is because of that reason – I don’t feel that the rest of the community would feel safe if that person continued at the school.”
What this means for the national debate on exclusions
Hillingdon’s success provides a real-world example for policymakers and school leaders who are searching for ways to reduce exclusion rates without compromising safety or standards. While the borough has not eliminated exclusions, the steep drop in both permanent and temporary measures suggests that a proactive, relationship-based model can work.
As national numbers continue to rise, the approach taken by schools like Northwood may offer a blueprint. The combination of early support, de-escalation training, and calm environments appears to help pupils stay in school—and in learning—rather than being pushed out. The challenge now is whether other areas can replicate these results at scale.
