New figures show the number of children permanently excluded from school increased by six per cent in the last year. Black children were nearly three times more likely to be excluded than White British children and pupils from Traveller communities were four times more likely to be excluded.
In total, some 9,980 children were permanently excluded and nearly 350,000 children were excluded for fixed terms in 2003/04.
Schools minister Jacqui Smith welcomed the increase in exclusions as proof that schools were taking tough action to deal with unruly pupils and improve school attendance.
But the National Association of Social Workers in Education suggested that rising exclusions were at odds with the Every Child Matters agenda.
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