High school exclusions fifth highest in England

Rochdale's secondary schools have the fifth highest permanent exclusion rate in England.

Pupils were expelled from the borough’s high schools 36 times last year, according to Department for Education figures - the third highest number in Greater Manchester - while its rate of permanent exclusions — 0.30 per cent of the school population — is the fifth highest in the country.

Four pupils were permanently kicked out of Rochdale’s primary schools, no pupils were permanently excluded from Rochdale's special schools.

The combined rate for all types of schools was 0.12.

Most pupils were permanently excluded in the borough for persistent disruptive behaviour, followed by physical assault on pupils.

The figures also show Rochdale schools issued 1,660 fixed term exclusions, mostly for verbal abuse/threatening behaviour, persistent disruptive behaviour or assault. But 44 were drug and alcohol related, 21 for racist abuse and 13 for sexual misconduct.