The figures, published by the Department for Children, Schools and Families, show that 22 Doncaster pupils aged under 11 were permanently excluded in 2006/07.

Although the tally is only 0.08 per cent of the town's primary school population, across the whole Yorkshire and Humber region there were just 80 expulsions in total.

Over the same period Rotherham only excluded six pupils, while in Barnsley no pupils at all were permanently excluded.

Doncaster's total is almost double the amount of permanent exclusions in Doncaster primary schools from the previous academic year.
But Bev Marshall, Yorkshire's regional officer for the National Union of Teachers, played down the figures.

He said: "These statistics are a snapshot of one year and things vary from year to year.

"Exclusions are only taken as a last resort - schools are not looking to exclude pupils until they have gone through all the other stages first.

"I wouldn't read too much into one year's set of figures."

The report also reveals that 40 pupils were thrown out of secondary schools over the year, while Doncaster accounted for 80 out of the region's 670 expulsions across the board.

The latter figure, which also includes special schools, CTC's, academies and non-maintained special schools, represents 0.16 per cent of Doncaster's total number of school pupils - the second highest percentage in the region behind York (0.25).

And Doncaster is following the national trend of an increase in temporary exclusions as Children's Minister Kevin Brennan points to headteachers taking shorter, sharper action to improve behaviour.

Fixed period exclusions have risen to 3,970 in all Doncaster schools, a percentage of 8.20, which is the third highest rate in the county behind East Riding of Yorkshire (8.72) and Wakefield (8.38).

In comparison North Yorkshire recorded the lowest percentage with 4.85 and the area's average percentage was 6.51.

Doncaster's total of temporary inclusions included 231 primary school children.

Mr Marshall said: "Fixed period exclusions are used as a final warning.
"Before a child is excluded there is a meeting between parents and the school with the child in an attempt for improved behaviour.

"It does bring home to parents that there is a problem."

Mayor Martin Winter said: "Ensuring pupils are given the very best opportunities to succeed in their educational and personal and social development is vitally important, and our schools and staff work hard to manage and support children and young people with behavioural difficulties.

"Exclusion should always be a last resort and is the responsibility of individual school headteachers and their Governing Body. We work closely with all local schools to review their policy on behaviour along with making sure appropriate help is in place to meet the needs of individual pupils and families, including support for mental health and specialist off-site provision from Pupil Referral Units (PRU)."