THE school suspension rate for pupils across York has soared to the highest level on record.

The latest Department for Education figures show six suspensions per 100 pupils were handed out by schools in York in the 2023-24 autumn term.

It comes as Rebecca McGuinn, who looks after the overall wellbeing of children right across a school trust based in York, says there has been an increase in children who show extremely unsafe and violent behaviour.

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The Government data shows that suspensions were up from 4.1 per 100 pupils the year before and was the highest figure on record.

In the 2019-20 autumn term, before the coronavirus pandemic, the suspension rate was just two per 100 pupils.

Comparable local records began in 2016-17.

Nationally, the suspension rate soared to 4.1 per 100 last autumn – almost double the pre-pandemic rate of 2.2.

Ms McGuinn, Ebor Academy Trust’s pastoral manager said: "Schools right now are facing a bigger challenge than ever before.

"Whilst suspension rates increase resources for troubled children and families deplete.

"Schools always look to use suspension as a last resort, and within our trust I know we have held dear to our ethos of not permanently excluding any primary child which sadly is looking every year like an increasingly impossible ambition to fulfill.

"There has been an increase in children who show extremely unsafe and violent behaviours, and schools first and foremost have to be safe places for children and staff. 

"We use as many strategies as possible to support children and make adaptations to aid all children's provision,  we always look deeply into what may be causing the behaviour and if a child has additional needs that require more specialist intervention.

"Equally we have an incredibly important societal responsibility, which is to educate children morally on the importance of consequences to behaviour and the realities of harming other people. Suspensions could easily continue to rise until we are able to negotiate greater join up and support for the many external factors that impact on a child's life."

The figures also showed the number of permanent exclusions nationally rose by more than a third in the last year, with 4,168 handed out, including four in York.

Mark Hassack is chief executive officer of Excel Learning Trust - formerly South Bank Multi Academy Trust which has seven schools in York: York High, Millthorpe, Carr Junior, Knavesmire, Scarcroft and Woodthorpe and Inspire Academy. 

Mark HassackMark Hassack Mr Hassack said: "Unfortunately, following the pandemic, many schools have seen an increase in challenging behaviour which has led to an increase in the use of suspensions.

"Suspensions from school are really serious and should only be used as a last resort. However, they are an essential behaviour management tool for head teachers to be able to establish high standards of behaviour and maintain a safe environment in schools.

"No head teacher wants to suspend or permanently exclude children from their school. However, it is imperative that a safe, calm, orderly and positive environment is maintained. Parents trust schools to keep their children safe and ensure they are able to learn. The use of suspensions and exclusions is sometimes necessary to protect the school experience for all children.

"As a sector, we have to be mindful that the numbers are increasing and of course this is worrying. However, it is important that we don’t simply see this as a numbers game by setting a target to reduce the number of suspensions; this could be done artificially.

"Instead, the focus must be on genuinely reducing the behaviours that lead to suspensions. Schools should not be alone in this work; it is a wider societal issue requiring input far wider than schools.

"At Excel Learning Trust, we have significantly invested in this area of work across our schools. This has included opening Inspire Academy, an alternative provision to help pupils thrive in a smaller setting with specialist support."