The findings

If a pupil causes trouble in an educational establishment, the schools and high schools may decide to temporarily expel this pupil as an example to others. But often the lesson simply isn’t learned and the effects can actually be counter-productive: left to his own devices, the pupil becomes isolated and hostile to the institution which rejected him. This has been identified as a reason for pupils dropping out of school.

ACTE's mission

Co-founded by the Département of Seine St Denis, the national education system and local associations, the ACTE Charter was created to avoid this risk and to salvage something useful from the expulsion. The purpose is to welcome expelled pupils in dedicated areas and to provide them with support from qualified adults as they embark on a process of “re-mobilisation”.

In practice, these sessions involve periods of educational support but also discussions and dialogue to best prepare them for their return to school.  And it works. Numerous examples of feedback report a calmer relationship between pupils and adults and an improvement in the educational climate. The education team is also seeing a reduction in cases of re-expulsion thanks to the scheme.

Note: participation in the scheme is not compulsory. It is proposed to the youngster and to his family, who must accept it beforehand. This is the first step towards helping the young person build a sense of responsibility.