In this article, Tier Blundell shares how unrecognised ADHD and systemic racism led to his school exclusion, and how he eventually reached Oxford University. Learn how his organisation, Excluded from School, is now helping families and schools create more inclusive environments and reshape exclusion.
In a recent episode of the Nip in the Bud podcast, we sat down with Tier Blundell, the founder of Excluded from School. He shared his story which is a powerful testament to his own resilience, but also reveals a significant concern about a system that often fails the children who need its support the most. Tier’s journey from being an excluded Year 7 student to an Oxford University graduate highlights the urgent need there is to reshape how we view belonging in British schools, and how we manage those who do not feel they ever truly belong.
The myth of not belonging
For Tier, the trouble didn’t start with poor behavior; it started with a lack of understanding. Growing up with unrecognised ADHD, Tier found that the traditional classroom environment was not built for a brain like his. He describes the frustrating feelings of being expected to fit into a rigid structure that didn’t account for neurodivergence.
This sense of displacement was worsened by the racism he faced as a child of mixed ethnicity. Whether in the playground or the wider community, Tier was often a recipient of racial abuse and frequently reminded that he was viewed as ‘other’. When a child is told, both explicitly and implicitly, that they do not belong, they often begin to internalise that message. For Tier, this culminated behaviours that for him were survival behaviours in a hostile environment but ultimately resulted in a permanent exclusion in Year 7. This was a pivotal moment that could have negatively defined the rest of his life.
The cycle of low expectations
Exclusion is rarely just a child needing to change school; it is often a catalyst for a decline in mental health as it further embeds the feeling that the child is not wanted, not worthy, not enough. Following his exclusion, Tier was placed in Alternative Provision (AP). While AP is intended to support students, there is often lack of funding and the expertise and resources required to fully support the children to overcome the fall out of exclusion.
Tier speaks candidly about how black Caribbean children and children of mixed ethnicities are often excluded at rates up to three times higher than their white peers. He goes on to say how excluded children are significantly more likely to suffer from depression, anxiety and low self-esteem and that this can go on into adulthood, severely limiting life chances. Tier explains that often in APs adults around the child, both parents and educators, tend to have low expectations of the child’s capacity to achieve. These low expectations act as a ceiling. When the system stops believing in a child’s potential, the child often stops believing in it too.
Redefining the self
The turnaround for Tier didn’t happen overnight. It was a process of reclaiming his identity as an adult. By recognising his ADHD not as a deficit, but as a different way of processing the world, he began to re-evaluate the labels placed on him as a twelve-year-old and see himself in a very different light.
His journey eventually led him to Oxford University, a destination that seemed impossible during his time in Alternative Provision. However, Tier points out that his success shouldn’t be seen as a one-in-a-million occurrence. Instead, it should serve as proof of the untapped potential of many young people. His experience acts as a driver to help look at how we can support children early in order to prevent them from travelling a similar path.
A new vision
Tier founded Educated from School to ensure that other children don’t have to navigate this path alone.
‘Excluded from School exists to improve outcomes for young people excluded from school or at risk of school exclusion. Our aim is to reshape exclusion in Britain so that it ceases to damage children and adults.’
Tier Blundell
This work focuses on empowering adults – schools and families – to better understand the outcomes of exclusion in order to ensure early intervention strategies are in place.
Tier’s mission is to move away from a system that ‘weeds out’ difficult children and move toward one that asks why a child is struggling. It is about moving from a culture of exclusion to a culture of curiosity, support and inclusion.
Reshaping the future
Tier Blundell’s story reminds us that an exclusion is a sign of a system under pressure, not a broken child. By addressing the intersections of neurodiversity, race, and mental health, we can begin to create schools where every child – regardless of their background or how their brain works – truly belongs.
As Tier’s journey shows, when we raise our expectations and provide the right support, there is no limit to what young people can achieve.
Alis Rocca
FAQs
Q1: Is it legal for a school to exclude a child with ADHD in the UK?
Answer: Yes, but only as a last resort. Under the Equality Act 2010, ADHD is often considered a disability. This means UK schools have a legal duty to make reasonable adjustments to prevent exclusion. If a school excludes a child for behavior directly linked to their ADHD without providing adequate support, it may be deemed unlawful discrimination.
Q2: How can schools foster a sense of belonging for neurodivergent students?
Answer: Schools can create a sense of belonging by moving from punitive discipline to trauma-informed practices. Key strategies include reducing sensory triggers in classrooms, providing “movement breaks” for children with ADHD, and ensuring that “Alternative Provision” focuses on student empowerment and re-integration rather than just containment.
Q3: What are the main causes of high exclusion rates for mixed-ethnicity and Black Caribbean children?
Answer: High exclusion rates for mixed-ethnicity and Black Caribbean students are often driven by systemic bias and “adultification.” Research shows these students are frequently perceived as more “defiant” or older than their peers for the same behaviors. Addressing this requires schools to implement anti-racist training and shift toward inclusive, relationship-based behavior policies.
Q4: What are the mental health risks of permanent school exclusion?
Answer: Permanent exclusion is a major risk factor for poor mental health. Excluded children are more likely to experience anxiety, depression, and social isolation. Without the structure of a mainstream school, many young people internalise a sense of “not belonging,” which can lead to a cycle of low expectations and long-term psychological distress.
Q5: Can I challenge my child’s school exclusion?
Answer: Yes. Parents have the right to challenge a permanent exclusion by appealing to the school’s Governing Body. If the exclusion is upheld, you can request an Independent Review Panel (IRP). You also have the right to ask for a Special Educational Needs (SEN) expert to attend the hearing to explain how your child’s condition might have influenced their behavior.
