MORE than 100 Southampton pupils were excluded for breaching Covid-19 rules last year, latest figures reveal.

Department for Education figures show "wilful and repeated transgression of protective measures" was a reason behind 120 exclusions from schools in the city in the 2020-21 academic year.

Of these exclusions, 119 were temporary exclusions and one permanent, and 92 were in secondary schools, 14 in primary schools and 14 in special schools.

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Labour said the government's lack of clear guidance over pandemic measures threatened children's futures and contributed to almost 13,000 of these exclusions nationally.

Stephen Morgan MP, Labour’s shadow schools minister, said: “The Conservatives have created deep divides in school exclusions, with the lack of clear guidance, especially during the pandemic, threatening children’s futures and failing communities.

“The government’s own independent review highlights the need to tackle exclusions and ensure children are supported in order to improve life chances.

“No parent wants to see their child excluded from school but once again the Conservatives have treated our children and their future opportunities as an afterthought.”

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However, Julie McCulloch, director of policy at the Association of School and College Leaders, said schools worked very hard to keep pupils and staff safe during the pandemic, and it is not unreasonable that young people should be expected to comply with these measures.

In Southampton, there were a total of 1,092 exclusions (1,084 temporary and eight permanent) for a range of reasons last year.

This was down from 1,252 in 2019-20.

The most common reasons were for persistent disruptive behaviour (24 per cent), verbal abuse or threatening behaviour towards an adult (18 per cent) and physical assault against a pupil (17 per cent).

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