Schools cannot give children the opportunities they deserve if they are not in lessons. Lost learning is a risk to education standards and a loss of potential. And there is a stark social injustice in who is affected: the children losing the most learning are those facing the greatest challenges in their lives. This report explores the rising tide of lost learning, and sets out a strong economic case to invest in reducing escalations. The report findings include:

New analysis for this report finds lifetime costs of at least £170,000 per child directly associated with permanent exclusion – for last year’s excluded cohort alone this means costs to the state of £1.6 billion over a lifetime.

Children from low-income backgrounds, with special educational needs, and those with mental health issues are the most likely to miss learning. Children who are Black Caribbean are two and half times more likely to be placed in alternative provision than their peers, while Roma, Romani and Irish Traveller children are four times more likely.

The poorest students – those who get free school meals – are nearly five times more likely to be permanently excluded and four times more likely to be suspended than their peers.

There are overwhelmingly poor outcomes for excluded children, with over half of children not entered for maths and English GCSEs in alternative provision schools and fewer than 5 per cent gaining a standard pass.