Most primary schools will permanently exclude young children only as a last resort. But a permanent exclusion will not address the underlying problems for these children. Instead of planning their future, it punishes their past and hands the problem on to somebody else.

Children must be accountable for their actions but primary schools also need to offer them high levels of support. We often see schools that combine high accountability with little support. This is a recipe for the type of exclusions detailed in this Ofsted report.

At the special school I run in Somerset we offer excluded students with overwhelming needs an alternative education. Their behaviour can be challenging. But our expectation that their conduct will change if we offer them new opportunities and intensive support is generally met. For schools to lower exclusion levels, they must focus less on disruptive behaviour and more on building good relationships with both children and parents. For the parents, exclusion is an exclusion of them as well.

Schools need to give a loud and clear warning signal that alternative provision for a particular pupil will shortly become essential. This could then facilitate a managed move, where an at-risk child is transferred into another school before exclusion becomes necessary.

Schools and local authorities need training and resources to help them to work out where a child could best be placed before the situation reaches an expulsion. We should not be punishing young children for not being able to manage school and for lacking communication skills and self-confidence. Every child must be found a place in the education community regardless of his or her behaviour.

Adam Abdelnoor is a chartered psychologist, founding chief executive for the inclusion charity Inaura and head teacher of a special school in Somerset

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