Schools commissioner Sir Bruce Liddington made the admission at aconference of children's services managers last week after a questionabout high exclusion rates at academies. The question was asked in lightof figures obtained by Children Now (Children Now, 17-23 January).
Liddington told the Confed conference he was "not comfortable" withexclusion rates in some academies but that ministers accept it asnecessary as they often replaced dysfunctional schools. But children'sservices professionals at the conference were concerned by hisremarks.
Martin Rogers, co-ordinator of the Children's Services Network, said:"This does not seem a very convincing explanation. These are not mostlyschools that were dysfunctional immediately before becomingacademies.
"The Government is trying to paint a portrait that these are new schoolssetting up in difficult circumstances, but it exaggerates and withholdsinformation to suit its purpose. We can't afford to have an ill-informeddebate about this - we need the truth and we need an honestdiscussion."
Chris Waterman, director of Confed, said: "We want academies to beintegrated into the local school system, but if there is evidence thatthey are excluding children with problems this will militate againstgood co-operative arrangements."
