Repeat suspensions in schools rise

The Tories have blamed a sharp rise in the number of repeat suspensions in schools on a lack of power for headteachers. Official figures showed a 50 per cent increase in the numbers suspended five times or more between 2003 and 2007 - at the same time as permanent exclusions dropped 13 per cent to 8,680. Almost 90,000 faced at least two suspensions - up 17,400. Shadow schools minister Nick Gibb said the rise was "a result of the government tying the hands of head teachers to exclude" - blasting its approach "a mess". "Repeatedly suspending disruptive children instead of excluding them means they don't get the specialist help they need to get back on the straight and narrow. "Heads need to be free to exclude disruptive and violent pupils without being second guessed or penalised for doing so," he said. But the Department for Children, Schools and Families said heads had ministers' "full support" to permanently exclude when necessary and hailed the figures as a good sign. A spokesman said: "What these figures actually suggest is that more schools are using short suspensions as a way of clamping down misbehaviour before it escalates to the point where permanent exclusion is necessary. "Head teachers have our full support to permanently exclude pupils where their behaviour warrants it and we trust their judgment to decide what sanctions will work best for the individuals and the school. "We have reinforced this by giving teachers statutory powers to impose disciplinary sanctions on badly-behaved pupils. "Ofsted has reported that most schools have good behaviour most of the time. Contrary to popular myth permanent exclusions are not routinely overturned." John Dunford, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, agreed that there was now better support for heads but called for better support for troublesome pupils.

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ITN | October 25, 2008

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