Exclusions in primary schools

At least one child aged five or under is expelled from school every week and dozens more are suspended as bad behaviour among pupils soars. Official Government figures released under the Freedom of Information Act show that increasing numbers of children are being barred from primary school for offences as serious as sexual assault, theft, racism and even drug dealing. In an alarming disclosure, it is revealed that 230 pupils are suspended and six are permanently excluded from primary schools in England every day during term time. In the reception year alone, 60 pupils aged four or five were expelled in just 12 months - a three-fold increase compared to year earlier. A further 960 - or five a day - were suspended. The findings will fuel concerns that bad behaviour among teenagers is increasingly trickling down to the very youngest children.

Teachers claim that many pupils arrive at school without any sense of respect for adults as parents fail to impose any discipline in the home.

According to the Department for Education and Skills, 43,720 pupils were temporarily excluded from primary schools in 2004/5 - the latest available figures - an increase of 2,420 in a year. A further 1,090 pupils were permanently excluded, down on 1,270 a year earlier. Worryingly, a significant number of pupils suspended from school had been punished for serious offences, such as sexual attacks on fellow pupils and teachers.

In total, 330 pupils were suspended for racism, which includes taunting, swearing, bullying or graffiti with a racist element. A further 310 pupils were sent home from school for sexual misconduct, which includes sexual abuse or assault of fellow pupils, lewd behaviour or sexual bullying or graffiti. There were another 150 drug and alcohol-related incidents which relate to drug dealing, the possession of illegal drugs, smoking and alcohol abuse. But most concerns surrounded the behaviour of pupils in the reception year, which accept children as young as four.

According to the figures, 960 were suspended in 2004/5, or five for every day of term.