12:00pm Friday 30th July 2010
By Jon Reeve
SOUTHAMPTON teachers handed out double the national average exclusions to pupils last year.
But the number of suspensions and expulsions for bad behaviour in city primary and secondary schools is falling, new figures show.
It means the total number of children severely punished for offences including assaulting or threatening violence against other pupils or adults, racist abuse, theft and persistent disruptive behaviour, has dropped.
In Hampshire, more primary school pupils were expelled and suspended during the 2008/9 academic year than the previous year, although the number of secondary school children receiving similar punishments dropped.
In Southamp-ton’s secondaries, almost 1,000 fewer fixed-term exclusions were handed out last year – down from 2,790 in 2007/8 to 1,807.
If each suspension had been given to a different pupil it would mean a fifth of all kids had been taken out of classes at some time during the year.
That is more than twice as high as the overall rate in England of 9.26 per cent, although most of the Southampton youngsters in trouble were handed more than one temporary exclusion.
No city primary schools pupils at all were expelled in 2008/9, down from ten a year earlier, but more secondary age children were permanently excluded.
The increase from 30 to 40 was largely down to the 11 banished from the then newly-formed Oasis Academy Mayfield, which saw its first few months marred by student protests and a rampage through corridors.
Overall, there were rises in the number of expulsions handed out for physical assaults on adults, bullying, sexual misconduct, drug and alcohol issues, and damage to property.
Southampton’s education boss Councillor Paul Holmes said: “While it’s encouraging to see that exclusions are falling there is clearly still work to be done to improve behaviour in the classroom.
“It’s important that teachers have the tools at their disposal to enable them to control the classroom and deliver the best teaching possible.
“Tackling poor behaviour and raising academic standards are key priorities for the council and we will continue to work with schools and parents to achieve this.”
Hampshire’s figures for expulsions dropped slightly, remaining just below national averages.
The number of suspensions also fell, but the rate remains higher than the overall figure for England.
County schools chief Cllr David Kirk said the authority has worked hard to cut the number of permanent exclusions through the use of primary and secondary education centres for children whose behaviour puts them at risk of being expelled.
He said: “We recognise that it is in every child’s interest to remain in school. Exclusion rates in Hampshire continue to show a downward trend, which I’m pleased to see.
“Hampshire aspires to remain a low excluding authority and will continue to work collaboratively with schools to support its most vulnerable children.”
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