Expulsions at a record high
Assaulting teachers and racist abuse among reasons for punishment
PRIMARY-AGED children being expelled from school is at a record high in parts of west London due to attacks on teachers and racist abuse.
Ealing recorded 10 permanent exclusions of primary pupils in 2014/15 – its highest level in almost nine years, according to figures analysed by Trinity Mirror’s data unit team. Brent saw a staggering 374 primary pupils face suspension in 2014/15, of which 110 were for physically assaulting staff, topping 2006/7 figures.
According to the Department for Education statistics, across England the figure for primary pupils suspended as a result of attacks on staff have been steadily rising since 2006, with 12,650 recorded in 2014/15.
Meanwhile, primary school suspensions for racist abuse were also at a nine-year high at 430.
School suspensions for primary-aged children across England peaked to nearly 50,000 last year – another high on record since 2006/07.
In England, for the third year in a row, permanent exclusions continued to rise with 5,800 pupils expelled from primary (920 expelled) and secondary schools (4,790 expelled) in 2014/15, up 17 per cent from 4,950 the previous year. The outstanding 90 expulsions are related to pupils at special schools.
There were 290 permanent exclusions of primary pupils for attacking staff in 2014/15, its highest number since 2006/07, and up from 240 in 2013/14.
In total, 30 children under four years old were expelled from school in 2014/15.
Among secondary pupils, permanent exclusions for attacks on teachers were the same in 2013/14 at 290, with expulsions related to drugs and alcohol up 17% in a year to 480.