A council says changed behaviour in schoolchildren following the Covid-19 pandemic has contributed to school suspensions reaching a record high in the borough.

The number of suspensions in Blackburn with Darwen reached its peak in the last academic year, according to figures from the Department for Education.

They said there were 1,887 suspensions in the 2022-23 academic year – the highest since records began for the area and more than double the 764 suspensions from the year before the pandemic.

Joanne Siddle, strategic director of children and education at Blackburn with Darwen Council, said the rise in the area reflected the trend across the country.

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She said: “There has been an increase in suspensions and permanent exclusions in Blackburn with Darwen which sadly follows a rise both nationally and regionally.

“The emotional health and wellbeing of our school population is one of the most important issues to come out of the post-pandemic area and continues to affect all parts of our school community from pupils and staff to their parents and carers.

“Schools are increasingly seeing the impact of low mood, low self-esteem and anxiety-related issues on pupils’ attendance, behaviour, and academic attainment.

“We are working very closely with schools and other public sector partners, the Voluntary, Community, Faith and Social Enterprise sector to provide schools with the support they need, whilst also securing compliance with national guidance to ensure that pupils can remain in the setting that offers them the best possible opportunity to achieve.”

Lancashire County Council, which looks after schools for the rest of the county barring Blackpool, said it is committed to supporting children and their families as the same picture was reflected there.

There were 16,515 suspensions in the county for 2022-23 – up 32 per cent from the previous year and up 89 per cent from the year before the pandemic.

A county council spokesperson said: “There has been a national increase year on year in school suspensions and permanent exclusions since the pandemic, and the situation in schools maintained by us would appear to reflect this national picture.

“These measures are only implemented when appropriate and according to national guidelines.

“We are wholeheartedly committed to supporting children and their families, and to ensuring educational access for all children and young people in Lancashire.”

The nationwide rise comes as Impetus, a charity advocating for disadvantaged young people, said the Government’s ambition to break down barriers to education cannot be achieved “if tens of thousands of students are not in the classroom.”

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Steve Haines, director of public affairs at Impetus, said: "The Government has set a compelling ambition to break down barriers to education for all children, but this can't be achieved if tens of thousands of them are not in the classroom.

"We urgently need to take action to reduce preventable exclusions and support schools to ensure every child can learn and succeed."

He added: "Schools work incredibly hard to support children and use suspensions and exclusions as a last resort, but they cannot be expected to address the full range of complex root-causes that can often lead to disruptive behaviour in the classroom."

The number of permanent exclusions across the country also reached a record high at 9,376 in 2022-23, a rise of 44 per cent on the year before.