The number of primary school children being permanently expelled from school has risen, Department for Education figures show.
Despite a steady decline in expulsions over recent years, the number of young children being thrown out of class has risen by 14 per cent.
In London, 50 children were perm-
anently excluded from lessons during the 2011/12 school year — and a further 4,720 were suspended for a set period.
The boroughs with the highest number of primary pupils sent home for bad behaviour include Croydon and
Hackney, with about 300 each. Across the country, 690 primary school
children were expelled with 37,790 suspended, mostly for persistent
disruptive behaviour. In London, 950 children of all ages were excluded for bullying, 500 for sexual misconduct, and 580 for racist abuse.
In all, 41,900 school pupils in London were excluded or expelled, compared with 309,540 across the country.
*SCHOOL children in London are more likely to have tried drugs than those in other parts of the country, research revealed today.
One in five children aged 11 to 15 said they had taken illegal substances, with 13 per cent saying they had done so in the last year. But the capital has the lowest rate for the number of 11 to 15-year-olds who have drunk alcohol or smoked, according to the Health and Social Care Information Centre. However, alcohol was the most common “vice” for London children, with 31 per cent admitting to have had a drink. This compared to 22 per cent who said they had smoked and 20 per cent who admitted taking drugs.
