RISING exclusion rates have prompted calls for schools to root out the underlying cause of bad behaviour.

The percentage of pupils being punished through exclusion or permanent expulsion in Oxfordshire continues to creep up, new figures reveal.

Statistics released by the Department for Education show the percentage of pupils who had been temporarily excluded in the county rose by 11 per cent in 2015/16 compared to the previous school year: 3,278 compared to 2,950.

Gill Sanders, who sits on Oxford City Council’s education scrutiny committee, said: “I sometimes think exclusions are an easy tool to get rid of problems - we need to think about what we are doing to work with youngsters who have problems.

“Young people need support and advice. It's very easy when you have a troublesome child to just exclude them, even if just for a few days. It can have a disastrous impact on them and their education.”

The DfE data also shows the percentage of expelled pupils in Oxfordshire increased by 15 per cent from 40 expulsions in 2014/15 to 46 in 2015/16.

The figures cover primary, secondary and special schools in the county, other than private schools, and percentages take into account differences in the number of students from year to year.

Mrs Sanders, who worked in schools for 25 years, said: “There really does need to be more support for youngsters who are on the verge of being excluded, to prevent that happening. It can be a really devastating thing.

“It's also becoming increasingly difficult to actually get schools to take on youngsters who have been permanently excluded, which creates a circle of problems. Often they are left in limbo for quite some time, which in itself is a danger.”

Of the total Oxfordshire exclusions and expulsions in 2015/16, 159 were drug and alcohol-related, 13 were for sexual misconduct and 48 involved racist abuse.

Mrs Sanders acknowledged there is no alternative for some youngsters other than expulsion, but added: “Exclusion is not always the answer. I have huge amounts of admiration for schools that hold onto youngsters, desperately trying not to exclude them and trying to solve the problem.”

Her concerns were echoed by education expert Professor John Howson, who sits on the same committee.

He said: “We should be asking schools to look very seriously at the underlying causes of the children who are at high risk of exclusions.

“Persistent behaviour is the most common reason for children being excluded: it needs to be nipped in the bud.

“It also comes back to the curriculum: we have got to engage with children and not say 'I'm forcing this down your throat'.”

The national figures also showed a surge in both expulsions and exclusions.

A DfE spokeswoman said rules clearly state exclusions should only be used in particular circumstances, and permanent expulsion should be a last resort.