Overview

At the time of this report, statistics on pupil suspensions and expulsions in Northern Ireland are published as official statistics in development by the Department of Education (DE).

The statistics report the frequency, behavioural reasons and demographic breakdowns of pupil suspensions and expulsions from Northern Ireland schools. They are used to identify inequalities, direct behavioural support resources and shape government policy to improve long-term educational and social outcomes for vulnerable youth.

This report presents the findings and recommendations from our review of whether the statistics meet the standards of Trustworthiness, Quality and Value in the Code of Practice for Statistics (the Code).

Why we did this review

This review was requested by DE to support further development of the statistics. The purpose of our review is to understand how the statistics have been developed in relation to the Code and provide recommendations for further improvement.

A key development for these statistics is the introduction of a new centralised management information system (MIS) across all schools in Northern Ireland, which will replace the current data collection system. The new system is expected to improve the quality of data by reducing manual processes and strengthening quality assurance.