Heads left powerless to kick out thugs

HEAD teachers left powerless by politicians are suspending record numbers of violent and disruptive pupils rather than expelling them, it emerged last night.

POWERLESS Head teachers struggle against thugs POWERLESS: Head teachers struggle against thugs

Official figures obtained by the Conservatives show that more than 800 pupils were each suspended more than 10 times during 2007-08.

They say the rise is a direct result of the Government making it harder for schools to expel disruptive pupils.

In total there were 207,240 suspensions from state schools in England last year for offences that included sexual abuse, assault, and actual or threatened violence.

All the offences warranted expulsion, the Tories said.

Shadow schools minister Nick Gibb said: “Teachers want these pupils out of their classroom so other children can learn, but the Government’s restrictions on expulsion have caused this phenomenon of endless suspension.

“Suspending a child from school over and over again does them no good at all.

“If a child is seriously disruptive or violent they should be properly removed so they can get the specialist help they need to return to mainstream education.”

Figures obtained under Freedom of Information requests from 125 local authorities showed that 867 children were suspended more than 10 times in the academic year 2007-08.

In 2003-04, just 310 children received more than 10 suspensions.

Government figures analysed and published by the Tories in October showed a 50 per cent increase in the numbers of children suspended five times or more between 2003 and 2007.

At the same time, permanent exclusions dropped 13 per cent to 8,680.

Almost 90,000 faced at least two suspensions – up 17,400.

Children’s Minister Delyth Morgan said: “Temporary exclusions – suspensions – can be used as a quick shock to turn around behaviour before it gets worse. Schools have firm powers permanently to exclude pupils where needed, even for a first offence.

“We have repeatedly stated that a teacher’s authority must be absolute in the classroom and support heads where they take the difficult decision to exclude.”

The figures come as the Government publishes the final report of its behaviour expert Sir Alan Steer. Schools Secretary Ed Balls is due to present the report and respond to its final recommendations at the NASUWT teaching union’s annual conference in Bournemouth today.

The report suggests that pupils who disrupt lessons should be placed in “withdrawal rooms” for short-term teaching.

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