0.07% of the school population excluded permanently in 2002/03 (0.12 per cent in England)
19.1% of nursery and primary school pupils eligible for free meals in January 2004 (17.3 per cent in England)
20 half-days of unauthorised absence per secondary school pupil in 2003/04 (15 in England)
94% of appeals against non-admission of children to maintained primary schools heard in 2003/04 (61 per cent in England)
Ann Baxter, Stockton council's corporate director of children, education and social care, said: "We have always worked very closely with our schools to make sure we keep our permanent exclusions to a minimum."
Source: Department for Education and Skills.
