North Yorkshire Primary Pupils Permanent Exclusions Reach Record High

North Yorkshire is experiencing a significant increase in the number of primary school pupils permanently excluded, rising from just three in 2020/21 to over 20 in recent years, mirroring national trends. The council faces challenges fulfilling its statutory duty to provide education placements from day six of exclusion, as current provisions, heavily reliant on special educational needs hubs, are stretched and divert resources from preventative work. To address this, North Yorkshire plans to repurpose existing secondary school support centers for younger pupils, a move estimated to save the authority around £38,000 annually. While recent data shows a slight reduction in exclusions for the 2024/25 academic year, figures remain well above pre-pandemic levels, with some schools responsible for a disproportionate number of exclusions. Meanwhile, Sunderland is also seeing a rise in permanent exclusions, with a 31% increase in 2024/25, despite a drop in suspensions, highlighting regional disparities and challenges linked to behavioral issues and resource cuts in schools. Both areas are implementing or considering new strategies to manage exclusions and improve educational outcomes amidst these rising trends.