Give me the numbers
For some reasons I have started to get interested in statistics and what they may or may not reveal about public policy. Here is an interesting bit of information on school exclusions:
http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000860/SFR18_2009.pdf
Of the 8000 odd permanent exclusions in 07/08 (which represented 0.11% of the school population), 86% were from secondary schools. This represents a fall from the previous year. There were over 300,000 fixed period exclusions (with the average lasting 3 days) - representing over a 10% decrease on the previous year.
You are most likely to be excluded if you are a boy and aged around 13/14 and/or you have special needs and/or you come from an ethnic minority.
The most common reason for exclusion: persistent disruptive behaviour - with over 10% of permanent (and over 4% of fixed term) exclusions for assault.
There was a 25% decrease in the number of appeals to the Independant Appeal Panel with over 25% determined in parents' favour.
- discuss.
