NOTHING HAPPENS IN ISOLATION

More than 8,000 students in England are currently attending People Referral Units (PRUs) after being temporarily or permanently excluded from mainstream school. The high rates of school exclusions and the existence of PRUs is not well known. Often, students get excluded from mainstream schools without a comprehensive assessment of the exterior factors affecting the young person’s behaviour.

Black Caribbean, Gypsy Roma, Irish Traveller and SEND students are far more likely to be excluded from mainstream education.

For two years I worked across the UK on the ‘Nothing Happens in Isolation’ campaign with Sir Lewis Hamilton’s charity, Mission 44. This campaign raised awareness on the overlooked issue of school exclusions. We visited PRUs all across the country to hear people's stories - interviewing the students, teachers, mentors and families behind the statistics to understand the causes and impact of exclusion. It became clear that systematic change is needed to create a more inclusive education system. The campaign made it to parliament in June 2025; a step towards lasting change.