Yorkshire schools have lowest expulsion rates

Only 360 children were expelled from the region's primary, secondary and special schools – just 0.05 per cent – during the 2008/09 academic year.

However Yorkshire also had one of the highest levels of students who received fixed-term exclusions from school.

Figures from the Department for Education show that the equivalent of more than one-in-10 secondary school pupils in Yorkshire were removed from school during the year.

There were 33,160 fixed term exclusions from Yorkshire secondary schools – 10.24 per cent of all pupils. Only schools in the South East of England had higher exclusion rates.

Education bosses in Sheffield, which had one of the lowest permanent exclusion rates in the country, said early intervention for pupils who were disruptive had helped to avoid children being expelled.

Gill Ellis, the council's assistant director of inclusive learning, said: "Whereas some authorities have pupil referral units where children are placed after they are expelled we have inclusion centres and we look to intervene early if a pupil has problems. We also have a hotline which schools can use if they are having difficulties with a child and don't know what to do. This approach definitely works."

However Schools Minister Nick Gibb said: "Despite the fall in exclusions, poor behaviour remains a significant problem in our schools. Tackling poor behaviour and raising academic standards are key priorities for the coalition Government."

n A dozen outstanding schools from Yorkshire have applied to be fast-tracked to academy status, the Government has revealed. Heckmondwike Grammar will become the first selective academy in the region if its bid is approved.