The number of suspensions and permanent exclusions have risen by a third in a year, according to government data published today.
There were 346,300 suspensions in the autumn term of 2023-24, an increase of 40 per cent on 2022-23 (247,400).
In the equivalent term pre-pandemic (2019-20), the number of pupils suspended from school was at 178,400.
There was a similar spike in permanent exclusions in 2023-24: the 4,200 permanent exclusions that year marked a rise of 34 per cent on 2022-23 (3,100).
This figure is also higher than the comparable term in 2019-20, when there were 3,200 permanent exclusions.
Behaviour impact on teacher mental health
The data comes after a report this week by the teacher charity EdSupport warned of the extent to which challenging behaviour was having an impact on the mental health and wellbeing of school staff.
And last week, exclusive Tes findings revealed that one in four primary teachers had restrained a pupil in the previous half term.
Commenting on the findings, Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers, said that “disruptive behaviour often has its roots in challenges facing families, including the cost-of-living crisis to a pandemic.”
He warned that schools alone are not equipped to address these issues and that more investment in community support, such as behaviour support teams, is needed.
Pepe Di’Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said that funding pressures had caused schools to “cut back on pastoral support” and that many pupils were waiting to be assessed for special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
“The whole system is teetering on the brink of collapse and the government must show urgency in addressing these problems,” Mr Di’lasio said.
Primaries see highest rise of suspensions
Suspensions have increased the most in primary schools, the government data shows, rising from 26,800 to 37,700 (up 41 per cent).
Pupils are also being suspended for longer: in the autumn term of 2023-24, almost half (46 per cent) of suspensions were for one day or less.
However, looking at the cumulative days missed over the term, 35,800 suspended pupils missed more than one school week and 12,600 missed more than two school weeks.
Those are increases of 11,300 and 4,700 pupils respectively on the previous year.
Persistent disruptive behaviour made up half of all reasons schools gave to suspend a pupil, followed by verbal abuse or threatening behaviour against an adult (16 per cent) and physical assault against a pupil (13 per cent).
Earlier this month, Ofsted chief Sir Martyn Oliver said that suspensions and exclusions carried out by a school will not see them marked down on the watchdog’s new inclusion measure.
North East had highest suspension and exclusion rates
Both primary and secondary schools saw permanent exclusions rise by a third (35 per cent) on last year, with persistent disruptive behaviour also the number one reason schools excluded pupils in the last academic year.
The North East had the highest regional suspension and exclusion rate (6.77 and 0.09 per cent respectively); outer London had the lowest suspension rate (1.86 per cent) and the lowest permanent exclusion rate (0.02 per cent).
Pupils eligible for free school meals were four times more likely than those not eligible (suspension rates of 9.98 and 2.27 per cent).
Similarly, pupils with special educational needs had a higher suspension rate (11.27 per cent) than pupils with education, health and care plans (10.05 per cent).
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