THE number of pupils being excluded from Chilterns schools has doubled since 1998, despite Government guidelines calling on education authorities to reduce the figure.
THE number of pupils being excluded from Chilterns schools has doubled since 1998, despite Government guidelines calling on education authorities to reduce the figure.
Buckinghamshire LEA says a number of projects have been implemented to deal with the increase, which has only affected Chiltern district schools area.
Figures from the LEA showed that 15-day fixed-term exclusions jumped from 165 to 303 between 1998/99 and 1999/2000 in Chilterns, while there was no change in Wycombe and South Bucks schools. Permanent exclusions also increased from 12 to 18, while remaining static in other areas.
The Department for Education and Employment says LEAs should reduce permanent exclusions from 61 to 51 in 1999/2000, 51 to 46 in 2000/01, and 46 to 41 in 2001/02.
The LEA did not meet its target reduction of 51 permanent exclusions, by five, in 1999/2000.
The education welfare and educational psychology services have implemented a number of projects to deal with exclusions.
A Buckinghamshire County Council spokesman said: 'The DfEE has made it simpler for schools to exclude pupils permanently and has extended the reasons to include issues about school uniforms. Ultimately, the school governors decide whether to exclude or not and the LEA can only advise on the matter.
'A review of the LEA behaviour-support plan, currently in progress, will be used to hopefully reduce the number of permanent exclusions.'
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