ONE in 15 city secondary school pupils have been kicked out of lessons – for bad behaviour including assault, stealing and taking drugs.
Pupils have also been excluded for verbal abuse and alcohol-related offences – with 21 permanently expelled, new figures have revealed.
Department for Education figures show that in the 2012-13 school year, 1,031 of the more than 15,000 youngsters in Nottingham's secondaries were temporarily excluded on at least one occasion.
Head teachers used the punishment 1,687 times – meaning many pupils have been suspended more than once.
Bad behaviour was flagged up by Ofsted as a major problem at six city secondary schools which it placed in special measures following a blitz of inspections last November.
Nottingham City Council says the 2012-13 figures – which were published this week and are the latest available – mark a fall from the previous year, when 1,280 pupils were suspended. A spokesman said: "Good discipline is essential and exclusions are an important sanction available to schools. However, we have been working with schools to try to reduce the need for exclusions."
Fixed-period suspensions can vary in length from between half a day and 45 days, after which the pupil returns to school. Children who are permanently expelled are sent to pupil referral units – specialist centres which offer more targeted help.
Assaulting a pupil was the most common reason for a suspension – with 287 such punishments dished out – while there were 274 exclusions for verbal abuse or threatening behaviour towards a teacher or member of staff.
Ninety exclusions were dished out for drug or alcohol-related reasons and 30 for theft.
But one mum whose 14-year-old son has been excluded from Djanogly City Academy, in Forest Fields, on two occasions believes better punishment should be found. She said: "My son was in a fight and has also been excluded for disruptive behaviour.
"I believe punishment is needed but I think schools often see exclusions as an easy way out rather than really getting to the root of the problem.
"Look at how many children are excluded more than once. It suggests the punishment doesn't work for them."
In city primary schools, 161 children were given at least one fixed-period exclusion, while nine were permanently expelled.
In county council-run secondary schools, 2,155 pupils accounted for 4,664 fixed-term exclusions. There were 83 permanent exclusions.
And in county primary schools, 221 pupils accounted for 420 fixed-term exclusions. There were no permanent exclusions.
Paul Halcro, principal of Bulwell Academy, one of the six city secondaries in special measures, told the Post he was trying to cut exclusion rates. He said: "I have been keen to establish a calm learning environment where all students receive the support they need."
Anthony May, corporate director for children, families and cultural services at Notts County Council, said the authority had no control over the new academies, but was also committed to reducing the need for exclusions in Notts.
Nottingham primary schools
Number of pupils: 25,000
Number of instances of exclusion: 275
Number of pupils who were excluded at least once: 161
Nottingham secondary schools
Number of pupils: 15,103
Number of instances of exclusion: 1,687
Number of pupils who were excluded at least once: 1,031
Nottinghamshire primary schools
Number of pupils: 64,974
Number of instances of exclusion: 420
Number of pupils who were excluded at least once: 221
Nottinghamshire secondary schools
Number of pupils: 48,382
Number of instances of exclusion: 4,664
Number of pupils who were excluded at least once: 2,155
