Exclusions from primary school double in just a year

THE number of primary pupils excluded from school for a set time has doubled in the last two years.

Just six were given a fixed-term exclusion in 2008/2009 but by 2010/2011 that had increased to 12.

In contrast, the number of secondary school exclusions fell from 118 in 2008/2009 to 102 in 2010/2011.

Between 2008 and 2011, the number of children given fixed-term exclusions fell from 240 to 211, despite peaking in 2009/2010 at 344. Those figures include a few pupils who were excluded more than once.

Education's deputy director Alan Brown said the rise in primary school exclusions was unfortunate but related to a very small number of children.