1,840 pupils excluded in year

More than 400 suspensions were handed out to school children in the borough for assaulting a teacher or fellow pupil last year.

Figures from the Department for Education (DfE) show 1,840 suspensions — where pupils are excluded for a fixed period — were given to Rochdale Borough pupils in 2008-9.

A breakdown reveals 370 suspensions were for physical assault on a pupil, and a further 72 incidents in which a pupil attacked an adult.

Verbally abusing an adult accounted for 521 suspensions, and 665 were for persistent bad behaviour.

In addition, 66 pupils were disciplined for drug and alcohol-related incidents, 64 for theft and 13 for sexual misconduct.

The DfE figures also show 40 pupils were permanently excluded from Rochdale’s schools.

Of those expelled, 5 were for assault on an adult, 6 for verbal or threatening behaviour towards an adult and 6 for persistent disruptive behaviour

Rochdale Council’s cabinet member for Childen, School and Families, Councillor Teresa Fitzsimons was unavailable for comment at the time of publication.