23/06/2005
Report reveals more pupils being expelled
The number of pupils being expelled from English schools has risen by 6%, new government figures have shown.
According to the latest figures published by the Department for Education and Skills, there were 9,880 permanent exclusions in 2003/04 from primary and secondary schools, as well as special needs schools in England – an increase from 9,290 in 2002/03.
However, the figures were over 20% lower than 1996/97, when 12,668 pupils were expelled.
Persistent disruptive behaviour was the main reason for pupils being excluded, accounting for 30% of all exclusions. Verbal abuse and threatening behaviour against an adult accounted for a fifth of all expulsions, as did assaulting another pupil.
The figures also showed only 220 exclusion decisions were overturned by an appeal panel and, of those, only 130 pupils were reinstated – a reduction of 13% on last year’s figures. Schools Minister Jacqui Smith said that this showed that the idea that many head teachers were unwilling to exclude pupils or that their decision would be overturned on appeal was a “false notion”. She said: “Today’s figures show that to be nonsense.”
Commenting on the figures, Ms Smith said: “The government has made tackling poor behaviour a major priority. We want a zero tolerance approach to disruptive behaviour in all our schools on everything from backchat to bullying or violence. Schools must have clear and consistent boundaries for what is acceptable behaviour.
“Violence or verbal abuse against pupils and members of school staff will not be tolerated. I fully back head teachers who decide to remove or prosecute anyone – parent or pupil – who is behaving in an aggressive way.”
(KMcA/SP)
According to the latest figures published by the Department for Education and Skills, there were 9,880 permanent exclusions in 2003/04 from primary and secondary schools, as well as special needs schools in England – an increase from 9,290 in 2002/03.
However, the figures were over 20% lower than 1996/97, when 12,668 pupils were expelled.
Persistent disruptive behaviour was the main reason for pupils being excluded, accounting for 30% of all exclusions. Verbal abuse and threatening behaviour against an adult accounted for a fifth of all expulsions, as did assaulting another pupil.
The figures also showed only 220 exclusion decisions were overturned by an appeal panel and, of those, only 130 pupils were reinstated – a reduction of 13% on last year’s figures. Schools Minister Jacqui Smith said that this showed that the idea that many head teachers were unwilling to exclude pupils or that their decision would be overturned on appeal was a “false notion”. She said: “Today’s figures show that to be nonsense.”
Commenting on the figures, Ms Smith said: “The government has made tackling poor behaviour a major priority. We want a zero tolerance approach to disruptive behaviour in all our schools on everything from backchat to bullying or violence. Schools must have clear and consistent boundaries for what is acceptable behaviour.
“Violence or verbal abuse against pupils and members of school staff will not be tolerated. I fully back head teachers who decide to remove or prosecute anyone – parent or pupil – who is behaving in an aggressive way.”
(KMcA/SP)
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Northern Ireland WeatherToday:A sunny but frosty start for many. However cloud increases by midday with a few showers reaching the north coast, these mostly light but spreading inland this afternoon. Chilly. Maximum temperature 8 °C.Tonight:A rather cloudy evening with scattered showers. Becoming drier through the night with some good clear spells developing and a patchy frost away from coasts. Minimum temperature 0 °C.