Exclusions in Middlesbrough rise by more than 300% since 2013
The BBC reports that there were 5,800 permanent exclusions from English state schools in 2014-15, a rise of 1,170 compared to three years ago. 310 of these exclusions were in the North East, giving the region an exclusion rate of 0.08%, slightly higher than the national rate of 0.07%.
The government figures, released in July, also show that fixed term or temporary exclusions in England increased from 267,520 to 302,980 in the same period. Of these exclusions, 14,360 were in the North East. This gives the region a fixed term exclusion rate of 3.79%, lower than the national rate of 3.88%.
Middlesbrough saw the largest increase in fixed term exclusions of all local authorities; from 750 in 2012-13 to 3,430 in 2014-15. This represents a 357% rise.
Commenting on these figures, a spokesman from Middlesbrough Borough Council said, “Exclusions are a measure of last resort when all other avenues have been exhausted, and are designed to change behaviour and improve life chances. Poor behavioural standards by students damage not only their life chances but the prospects of those around them”.
Middlesbrough has a fixed term exclusion rate of 14.89% – the second highest in England after Barnsley. Meanwhile, South Tyneside has the lowest fixed term exclusion rate in the country at just 1.34% (when the tiny authorities of the Scilly Isles and City of London are excluded). Exclusion rates in North Tyneside (1.82%) and Sunderland (2.02%) are also very low.