A report published today, 10 September, by the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) has warned that some schools are breaking the law in their efforts to deal with challenging or disruptive behaviour. In “No Excuses: A review of educational exclusion”, the CSJ suggests that many pupils are being profoundly misunderstood and are being failed by our education system. The report exposes the extent to which some children feel unsafe in schools, and the impact of gang culture on their behaviour and education. Some schools are failing to comply with their legal obligations in respect of official exclusions, are carrying out unofficial illegal exclusions, or are otherwise failing to provide an acceptable level of pastoral care and education. In doing so, they may be failing to comply with their child protection and safeguarding obligations. The report analyses the weaknesses in the current system, which it says are being manipulated by some schools, and puts forward a number of recommendations. The report rightly claims that exclusion is damaging for the pupils concerned, as well as for wider society, and asserts that pupils should be supported to the greatest extent possible to stay within mainstream schools.