SHOCK figures have revealed Bury schools have one of the highest exclusion rates in the North West.

Only Manchester and Salford outstrip the borough in the number of pupils expelled.

The North West figures, based on the percentage of school pupils, showed that in 1995-95 there were 76 exclusions from Bury schools - a reduction of four on the previous year.

Statistics published this week for 1996-97 show that the downward trend is continuing with a total of 72 pupils expelled.

However, Bury Local Education Authority has set strict targets in a bid to reduce expulsions further.

A breakdown of the latest statistics show pupils were excluded for a variety of reasons.

47 for ongoing behavioural problems.

11 for assaults on fellow pupils.

7 for violence towards staff.

2 for bullying.

2 for carrying weapons and threatening pupils.

2 for theft of school property.

1 for a drugs-related incident. The majority are admitted to other mainstream schools or referred to the borough's pupil-learning centre.

In a report to Wednesday's education committee, principal education welfare officer Mr Alan Cogswell expressed concern over parents being encouraged to find another school for their children to avoid exclusion.

"This practice denies the pupils and parents access to the exclusion procedures and representation-appeals mechanisms," he explained. "We need to find a way of encouraging schools not to do that."

Now, the authority wants to improve and extend further the partnership that exists between itself, local schools, parents and pupils to provide the most effective way of tackling the problem.

Education committee chairman, Coun David Ryder said: "There are a number of problems associated with exclusions and in the long-term interests of the young people concerned it is better that their education is disrupted as little as possible.

"That means early intervention and support when problems begin to occur and working together with all concerned on a partnership basis to create the best possible service that we can."

Borough education officer, Mr Harold Williams, said: "In order to further reduce the numbers of permanently excluded pupils, the service has included in its development plan target figures for the period 1997-2000.

"The exclusion targets have been set at a seven per cent year-on-year reduction in the number of permanent exclusions.

In order to consult as widely as possible on the issue, a half-day seminar for 70 delegates, including young people who have been excluded and councillors, will be held on Wednesday, December 3.

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