The number of pupils being excluded from schools in Blaenau Gwent has fallen but more days have been lost, a report has said.

In the year 20018/19 there were 607 exclusions across the county borough with the majority being pupils in key stage three and four age groups, ie from 11 -16.

This age group saw 474 exclusions in the year mainly for persistent disruptive behaviour followed by verbal abuse.

Three of those pupils were permanently excluded from school, a 67 per cent decrease on the previous year.

In the previous year there were 625 exclusions from school with 564 involving pupils aged 11 -16.

But while the number of exclusions is down by 19 per cent in this age group the number of days lost has risen to 987, up from 956.5 in the previous year.

Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council’s education and learning scrutiny committee will consider a report on school exclusions across the county borough in 2018/19.

The report says: “The council is required by the Education Act 1996 to ensure that pupils who have been permanently excluded are in receipt of an appropriate education after fifteen days.

“If an alternative mainstream school is not appropriate then it becomes necessary to arrange a placement in either an out of county special school or our SEBD (social, emotional and behaviour difficulties) school.

“There are of course significant cost implications with placing a pupil out of county.

“In terms of in county placement, which is always the preferred option, tuition costs may be incurred whilst placement is being facilitated.”

The report will be presented to the education and learning scrutiny committee next Wednesday (January 15).