Pupil exclusions from Bristol schools drop by a third

The number of pupils excluded from Bristol schools has dropped, according to the latest figures.

They fell during the last academic year (2007/8) by more than a third from 4,310 to 2,710.

Pupils who were excluded for more than five days dropped from 302 to 50.

Permanent exclusions fell from 40 to 30.

Currently, no Bristol school holds an Ofsted 'unsatisfactory' category for behaviour.

Annie Hudson, the city council's strategic director for Children, Young People and Skills, said: "In Bristol we've implemented very robust monitoring of schools, so we can pick up on where exclusions might be happening and work with them to look at various strategies for dealing with difficult behaviour.

"Exclusion from school is always a last resort.

"We are working hard to ensure that schools are well- equipped to deal with challenging behaviour – (with methods) such as coaching, one-to- one mentoring with vulnerable children and discussions in circle time."

A number of primary and secondary schools in Bristol have been taking part in a trial which finishes next March to explore new restorative approaches that can deal with poor behaviour.

Bedminster Down School is pioneering a scheme to deal with bad behaviour.

Headteacher Marius Frank said: "If restorative approaches are used early enough, it is possible to help young people change their behaviour.

"It is not easy but, through inclusion rather than exclusion, we can make young people aware of the impact of their actions, and give them opportunities to restore relationships wherever possible.

"We have a highly-trained and dedicated staff, as have other schools and academies in Bristol using restorative approaches.

"At Bedminster Down, we have managed a 60 per cent reduction in fixed-term exclusions in three years – and the achievement of our students continues to rise."

The exclusion figures have been released by the Department for Children, Families and Schools and further information is available on its website at www.dcsf.gov.uk

There are nearly 46,000 pupils in Bristol's 94 primary schools, 16 infant and junior schools, 13 secondary schools, seven academies, and 14 special schools.

Children's Minister Dawn Primarolo, who is also Labour MP for Bristol South, said: "Behaviour in our schools is getting better.

"It is time to put to bed the myth that behaviour is deteriorating with teachers powerless to act.

"The truth is that we have given teachers the powers they asked for to tackle bad discipline and today's figures, as well as the trend over the last several years, show the action we have taken is working in improving discipline in schools.

"But we can always do more and that is why we have strengthened home-school agreements to make sure the worst behaved children have clear expectations of behaviour and schools can force parents to take action if they do not live up to these expectations."

In South Gloucestershire, the number of exclusions was 2,680. A total of 30 pupils were excluded permanently.

In North Somerset, there were 900 exclusions (20 permanent) and in Bath and North East Somerset, 1,660 exclusions (none permanent).