The head teacher of a maintained school may exclude a pupil from the school for a fixed period or permanently.

The head teacher may not exercise the power to exclude a pupil from the school for one or more fixed periods such that the pupil is so excluded for more than 45 school days in any one school year.

A pupil may not be excluded from a maintained school (whether by suspension, expulsion or otherwise) except by the head teacher in accordance with this section.

In this Act “exclude”, in relation to the exclusion of a child from a school, means exclude on disciplinary grounds (and “exclusion” shall be construed accordingly).