News

Nearly one in 20 children with special educational needs were excluded from school in 2002-3 - nearly 10 times the rate for pupils without special educational needs.

DfES statistics show that school exclusions fell by 3 per cent - the first fall in three years. Eighty-two per cent of excluded pupils were boys, and 83 per cent were secondary school pupils.

Traveller children of Irish descent experienced the highest rate of exclusions of any ethnic group, with 51 exclusions for every 10,000 children. The lowest exclusion rates were among Chinese pupils (two in every 10,000) and Indians (three in every 10,000).

Education minister Ivan Lewis said: "We are getting the balance right, helping teachers to improve behaviour in the classroom and backing their authority when pupils’ behaviour warrants exclusion.

"But more than anything, today’s figures are a tribute to the professionalism of teachers and all those in the frontline who are working to ensure our classrooms are free from disruption."

www.dfes.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000465/index.shtml