The number of children permanently kicked out of schools in Birmingham rose by nearly 13 per cent last year, despite a national trend that saw a seven per cent drop.

A total of 327 pupils were told to leave and not come back during the 2006/07 academic year compared with 290 the previous year.

Most of them – 283 in total – were from secondary schools where the figure represented a rise of 14 per cent on the previous year’s number of 248.

A total of 8,680 pupils were permanently excluded from schools in Britain last year, with the vast majority of them – 7,520 in total – booted out of secondaries.

Birmingham’s elected head of schools Councillor Les Lawrence (Con Northfield) said it showed violent and disruptive pupils would not be tolerated in city schools.

“Birmingham takes a very strong view on behaviour that is unacceptable,” he said.

“A very clear message has to be given to young people that in today’s society we do not tolerate this manner of conduct.

“Our schools have robust programmes on matters such as anti-racism and anti-bullying and they will impose serious sanctions such as fixed period exclusions in line with their behaviour, anti-bullying, drugs and anti-discrimination policies when it is clear that these policies have been breached.”

Coun Lawrence added that the city’s permanent exclusion rate was comparable to other authorities in relation to the 175,000 pupils on roll.

Latest figures from Birmingham City Council show the authority is on course to record a 15.5 per cent drop in permanent exclusions this year with the total number of pupils kicked out from September 2007 to the end of the spring half term 233, compared with 276 during the same period the previous year.

Nationally 363,270 pupils were suspended from school – called a fixed term exclusion – during the 2006-07 academic year. The figure represented a rise of four per cent.

Children’s Minister Kevin Brennan praised heads for taking “shorter, sharper action” to nip unruly behaviour in the bud before it got more serious.

“Permanent exclusions are down and tem\porary exclusions are up, reflecting early intervention and a reduction in the most serious incidents of bad behaviour,” he said.

Pupils with special educational needs were more than nine times more likely to be permanently excluded than the rest of the school population – a situation described by Mr Brennan as an “ongoing concern” that needed to be addressed.

He said plans had been put forward for a “complete overhaul” of how excluded pupils are dealt with which would focus on earlier intervention, but added headteachers should not hesitate to use the powers they now had to permanently exclude persistent troublemakers.

Dr Mary Bousted, general secretary of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers said exclusion should only be used as part of a bigger package.
“Violent behaviour cannot be effectively treated separately from everything else a school does – Government policies also need to allow schools to become more interesting and stimulating places for pupils by providing a skills-based curriculum and a better assessment system.”