GENERAL INFORMATION
The School Exclusion Project is a pro bono project provided through the LawIRL service based at City, University of London. LawIRL was established to enable students studying law to obtain practical legal experience.
Representation from this project is provided by students at City University School of Law. They are trained on the law relating to school exclusions and will use this training to review your case and represent you at hearings. The students are not qualified lawyers and representation by students is not the same as representation by a qualified barrister or solicitor. The students are however supervised by the project in providing advice and representation. All volunteers are covered by our insurance and provide advice on behalf of the University’s Community Legal Advice Centre.
The Project’s aim is to provide a high standard of service. Amongst other things we will:
- Put your interest first when advising you
- Be polite and considerate in our dealings with you
- Make every effort to provide relevant and realistic advice in plain language
- Treat all clients fairly, and not discriminate against anyone in line with the University’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion strategy
- Keep your information confidential; we cannot disclose any of your personal information or details about your case to anyone without your written permission
WHAT SERVICE CAN THE CENTRE OFFER?
SEP only provides representation in relation to permanent exclusions. We do not assist with fixed-term or any other type of exclusion. We also only take on cases covered by the current version of the Government’s exclusion guidance (Suspension and permanent exclusion from maintained schools, academies and pupil referral units in England, including pupil movement). This covers only mainstream schools at both the primary and secondary stages, but not sixth-form colleges. SEP’s clients are the parents of children who have been permanently excluded from such places.
Student representatives will take your case and provide advice and representation in relation to it. They will represent you at governors’ disciplinary committees and Independent Appeal Panels, and advise you about those hearings. If we cannot advise you on your case for whatever reason, we will let you know and provide you with relevant alternative sources of help. We do not take on cases where a client has already instructed a solicitor or another advocate in the same mater.
WHAT WILL IT COST?
The service we provide is free and covers governors’ disciplinary committees and Independent Appeal Panels. The project cannot assist in any further legal action, but can refer you to other solicitors who can assist with this. Such services may attract a fee, or you may be eligible for legal aid. If you are eligible for legal aid you may be liable to pay a contribution. You may also be liable to repay your costs from any money or property recovered.
WHAT WE WOULD LIKE YOU TO DO?
Please could you give us clear instructions about your case and up to date contact details promptly. Please ask us if you are unclear about anything. Please be respectful towards our volunteers who are giving their time for free. Please understand that those volunteers will generally not be able to respond to a communication immediately, and in any event will generally respond during working hours Monday-Friday.
ENDING OUR AGREEMENT
You can ask us to stop working for you at any time by contacting us in writing normally by email. We can end this agreement at any time by giving reasonable notice.
WHAT IF YOU WISH TO MAKE A COMPLAINT?
We hope you will be satisfied with the service provided by the Project. However, if at any point you become unhappy with the service we provide, then please inform us immediately so that we can do our best to resolve the problem for you.
CONTACTING US
You can contact us by email. We will get back to you as soon as possible: schoolexclusionproject@city.ac.uk.
PRIVACY NOTICE
By providing us with your personal information, you acknowledge and consent to the Legal Advice Centre processing your personal information in accordance with the purposes as laid out in our full privacy statement which is available here: Privacy Notice.
We will archive the electronic or hardcopy file for seven years after the date of the last recorded correspondence. We may then destroy the file unless you have given us specific instructions to the contrary. We will make reasonable charges if you request additional copies of any documents we hold. If you have any queries in relation to how your rights are upheld, you can contact the Data Protection Officer at City Law School, Data Protection Officer, Dr Emma White, who can be contacted by email or in writing: City, University of London, Information Assurance Team, Northampton Square, London EC1V 0HB. +44 (0)20 7040 5060