A government-ordered review of exclusions will examine how their use varies from school to school, with a focus on children who are more likely to be excluded.

The move follows a Tes investigation which uncovered rocketing rates of permanent exclusions in some parts of England, with one area seeing a 300 per cent rise in just one year, and increasing concerns about off-rolling.

The Department for Education today confirmed that former education minister Edward Timpson, who lost his seat in last year’s election, will lead the external review.

Mr Timpson said: “As someone who grew up in a family who fostered, I’m all too familiar with the disproportionately higher levels of exclusion of some children, including those in care.

“This review provides a real opportunity to fully understand what drives the different rates of exclusion in our schools system and the impact it has on the outcomes of children involved.”

The review will examine why some children are more likely to be excluded than others.

SEND pupils four times more likely to be excluded

Children who receive special educational needs and disability support are four times more likely to be permanently excluded as their peers, while black Caribbean boys are more than three times as likely to be excluded.

Other groups that are more likely to be permanently excluded include children with autism, and those who are eligible for free school meals, while boys are three times more likely to have a permanent exclusion than girls.

Education secretary Damian Hinds today also announced plans to “transform” alternative provision, which caters for many children who have been excluded, and launched a call for evidence about how to improve educational outcomes for “children in need”. A “child in need” is defined as a child who has been assessed to be in need of social care services.

Last month, Ofsted highlighted concerns about high rates of fixed-period exclusions in eight local authority areas in the North of England.

And earlier this month, research commissioned by the DfE revealed that more than a fifth of teachers wrongly believe that it is legal to put pressure on parents to take their child out of school.

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