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In the Guardian today:

The proportion of secondary school students in England removed from class and placed in “internal exclusion” as a disciplinary measure has almost trebled in three years, according to new data.

The data shows the proportion of secondary pupils removed from normal lessons went up from 5% in the 2022/2023 academic year to 13% in 2025/26 – a 160% increase.

https://www.theguardian.com/education/2026/sep/03/proportion-of-secondary-school-students-in-england-placed-in-internal-exclusion-almost-triples-in-three-years

I can’t quickly access comparable percentages but, in May this year, we were able to compare total numbers per head of population, following a Channel 4 New Exclusive. Long-term friend of TuS, Dorothy, alerted to both of these.

Thanks again to Dorothy for alerting me to this.

From Channel 4 News last night, the above and:

England’s schools have been described as being gripped by rising levels of violence against both teachers and pupils, leading to permanent exclusions.

According to a new report, a record 3,320 pupils were permanently excluded last spring – which is about 21% higher than before the Covid pandemic.

The report also found vulnerable children were affected most – with their exclusions from school almost 6% higher than other pupils. More than 300,000 were suspended last spring. https://www.channel4.com/news/permanent-exclusions-up-21-as-violence-in-schools-rise

What are the comparable figures for Scotland?

From School exclusion statistics 19 December 2025 (latest), we see permanent exclusions down from 164 in 2007/2008 (First SNP Government) to one or less from 2020 and zero in 2024/25. Temporary exclusions fell from nearly 40 000 in 2007/2008 to between 8 000 and 12 000 in each the last five years. https://www.gov.scot/publications/school-exclusion-statistics/

Per head of population, England has, adjusting the Channel 4 seasonal data to annual estimates, around 12 000 permanent exclusions compared to zero or 1 in Scotland – a staggering more than 1 000 times as many (per capita!)

As for the temporary exclusions, England’s 1.2m is, per head, around 12 times as high, so:

With 12 times as many temporary school exclusions and 1 000 times as many permanent exclusions, per head, than Scotland, England’s schools are in a deep crisis fuelling County Lines gangs and street violence

In addition to the immediate and obvious consequences of such a phenomenon, what other consequences might there be?

Pupils excluded from school are at a “heightened risk” of being drawn into county lines drugs gangs, an official report warns. Police officers “reported a strong link between school exclusion and becoming a target for county lines criminals”, according to Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services. https://www.tes.com/magazine/archive/strong-link-between-exclusions-and-drugs-gangs

Knife crime: Excluded pupils ‘sucked into criminality’ – Theresa May is being warned that a “broken” system of support for troubled and excluded youngsters lies at the heart of a rise in knife crime. Police commissioners and London’s mayor have written to the PM saying pupils, both formally and informally excluded, are being “sucked into criminality”.https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-47470502

Imagine this was the other way round. Imagine the Scottish media coverage.

Help Talking-up Scotland keep going

Crowdfunder at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-talking-up-scotland-keep-going

Or by direct bank transfer to: JOHN WATSON ROBERTSON Sort Code – 08-91-04 Account – 12266421