High school exclusions fourth highest in UK

OLDHAM’S secondary schools have the fourth highest permanent exclusion rate in England.

Pupils were expelled from the borough’s high schools 50 times last year, according to Department for Education figures - the highest number in Greater Manchester - while its rate of permanent exclusions — 0.32 per cent of the school population — is the fourth highest in the country and equates to one in every 312 pupils. No pupils were permanently kicked out of Oldham’s primary and special schools.

The combined rate for all types of schools was 0.12, or one in every 833 pupils, the ninth highest in England.

Most pupils were permanently excluded in the borough for persistent disruptive behaviour, followed by physical assault on pupils or adults.

The figures also show Oldham pupils missed 2,910 days of their education last year by suspension for a specific period. Schools issued 1,710 fixed term exclusions, again mostly for persistent disruptive behaviour or assault. But 47 were drug and alcohol related, 32 for racist abuse and five for sexual misconduct.