Fewer pupils are being permanently excluded from school in England, say the latest official figures. The numbers fell by more than 11% last year. Department for Education figures show 5,080 pupils were expelled in 2010-11. Maggie Atkinson, Children’s Commissioner for England, applauded the statistics but was concerned that certain groups were over-represented. For example, pupils on free school meals were nearly four times more likely to be permanently excluded and three times more likely to get a fixed-term exclusion.
