Number of primary pupils suspended for assaulting adults rises 25%

A rise in pupils excluded by primary schools has caused the first increase in exclusions from English state schools for eight years, with teaching unions concerned by an increase in young pupils expelled for assaulting adults.

The government statistics reveal that 11,660 primary pupils in 2013-14 were either permanently or temporarily sent home from school for attacking an adult, up from 9,290 the year before.

The figures, which were released by the Department for Education, also highlight how permanent exclusions across primary, secondary, and special schools increased slightly compared with 2012-13 – despite a general decline since 2004-05.

For fixed-period exclusions in 2013/14, the most common reasons were physical assaults and verbal abuse against pupils and adults, with students also punished for behaviour such as racist abuse, sexual misconduct, drug and alcohol issues, damage, and bullying. A total of 178 primary pupils were given suspensions, this is 0.78% of the school population compared with 1.02% nationally.

We have strengthened teachers’ rights to issue no-notice detentions, search for prohibited items and use reasonable force to remove children from classrooms.

Schools Minister Nick Gibb instead pointed to the overall number of fixed and permanent exclusions falling since 2010.

“The decrease is likely to be down to a decision by head teachers to try to promote behaviour management internally rather than externally”. Government statisticians described this rise as “considerable”.

In Bradford, the number of permanent exclusions fell from 20 in 2012/13 to ten in 2013/14, equating to 0.01 per cent of the district’s school population. However the number of pupils given fixed term exclusions was higher in Yorkshire than anywhere else.

Bullying and sexual misconduct expulsions are also both down by a quarter.

Other key findings show boys are over three times more likely to be excluded than girls and special educational needs pupils account for 70 per cent of permanent exclusions – the highest number in any group.

“This sometimes manifests as behaviour problems at younger ages than we might expect”, he said.

Councillor Susan Hinchcliffe, executive member for education at Bradford Council, said: “Discipline in our schools is vital to make sure that children can learn”.

“I know some schools have invested in specialist behaviour teams with the aim of ensuring that any poor behaviour is tackled before they get to the stage of considering exclusion”.

Tameside, Greater Manchester, and Dudley, near Wolverhampton, had the highest rates of exclusion – both 0.18%.

Ms Keates said: “The increase in suspensions shows that, quite rightly, schools are not accepting violence against staff”.

“It is simply not good enough for ministers to pat themselves on the back and congratulate themselves on the new freedoms given to schools around exclusion”.

Reasons given for permanent exclusions included physical assaults against fellow pupils and adults, verbal abuse or threatening behaviour against adults, theft, and persistent disruptive behaviour. Teachers and other staff are facing the trauma of serious disruption and violence.

Kevin Courtney, deputy general secretary of the National Union of Teachers, said: ‘While, clearly, behaviour issues have to be addressed for the sake of the whole school community, there is no quick fix.

“Narrowing the school curriculum, the reduction in creative subjects and the removal of some play times for primary pupils may all be factors affecting behaviour in schools”.