Increasing number of pupils in Peterborough being excluded for racist abuse

Anti-racism campaign group Hope Not Hate said a national rise in the number of exclusions due to racism is a concern, but the rising figures show that schools are clamping down on the behaviour.

The City Council says it is introducing a number of changes to reduce the numbers of exclusions and has put a new manager in place to oversee the improvements.

Department for Education data shows Peterborough’s schools excluded students 24 times for racist abuse in 2018-19. That was up from 17 in the previous academic year.

All were fixed-term exclusions, also known as suspensions, where a pupil is temporarily removed. The figures include abuse by children at state-funded primary, secondary and special schools in the area.

It was a similar picture across the rest of England, where pupils were excluded for racist bullying on 4,900 occasions last year – a record high, and up from 4,300 in 2017-18.

Owen Jones, head of education at Hope Not Hate, said the number of additional racist abuse exclusions last year was “worrying”, but added: “From what we have seen, there is a much better concerted effort to clamp down and take it more seriously.

“The process of exclusion is fraught for everyone involved, but the tolerance for that behaviour is reducing.

“Students of colour are having more confidence to speak up. It’s not just about the ‘n’ word, it’s about comments made throughout the day which make students feel unwelcome.”

Mr Jones said racist abuse is a particular concern in rural and coastal schools, which have mostly white student populations.

Angela Wright, education development lead at anti-hate crime charity Stop Hate UK, said targets for racist incidents are becoming increasingly younger.

“It is important to remember that behind every hate incident is an individual and family that are affected,” she said.

She added that the charity has seen a desire among students to “make a change and call out racism”, following the death of black American George Floyd while in police custody in May.

Overall, Peterborough schools excluded pupils 2,341 times in 2018-19 – equivalent to 45 exclusions every week.

This was an increase of 10 per cent on the previous year, when they handed out 2,119 exclusions.

The rise in total exclusions in Peterborough reflects the trend across England, where the figure rose by seven per cent to 446,000.

A spokesperson for Peterborough City Council said: “We are in the process of introducing a number of changes focused on reducing both permanent and fixed term exclusions in Peterborough, led by the manager with responsibility for Alternative Provision and Inclusion.

“A new role of Senior Exclusions Officer for Peterborough has been created. The role’s responsibilities include providing challenge and support to both schools and council staff on procedures and practice in respect of exclusions and ensuring compliance with statutory guidance. Support will be provided to children and schools from officers to reduce the number of students who are excluded and will ensure that for those who are excluded, they are accessing, where appropriate, alternative packages of education. It is expected that this support will enable the majority of students to reintegrate back into mainstream school.

“An Inclusion Framework is also being finalised. This will provide a robust pathway for schools to follow, enabling them to be as inclusive as possible and will also support our most vulnerable children with behavioural, medical and in some cases, additional learning needs.

“The Pupil Referral Unit (PRU), which has historically provided alternative provision for students who were permanently excluded is now known as the Richard Barnes Academy and part of the Thomas Deacon Education Trust. The authority’s Lead Officer for Alternative Provision and Inclusion is working closely with the newly appointed Head of the School to ensure that the provision is used appropriately by schools and, that as many of the children placed at the PRU as possible can make a successful return to mainstream education.”

Anne Longfield, the Children’s Commissioner for England, fears there will be further exclusions as a result of children struggling to adjust to being back at school after the coronavirus lockdown.

“Excluding a child makes them more vulnerable to exploitation by criminal gangs and less likely to leave education with the qualifications they need to succeed,” she said.

A DfE spokesman said permanent exclusion should be a last resort.

He added: “We know that some pupils will return to school in September having experienced loss or adversity as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, which is why we have also provided guidance for school leaders on how to re-engage these pupils and create the right classroom environment to help them thrive.”