by political editor Paul Francis

The number of children permanently excluded from Kent schools has risen by 23% in a year, figures released by Kent County Council revealed.

They show the number of disruptive pupils ordered to leave and not return rose to 250 in 2010-11 compared to 202 the previous year.

County education chiefs say the figures are unacceptable and have vowed to tackle the worrying rise, which comes after four years in which numbers fell.

A review of how the county council’s 22 pupil referral units - where many disruptive pupils end up - is already underway.

Schools are supposed to use permanent exclusions as a last resort after all other efforts to resolve issues have failed.

They may now be urged to adopt a zero tolerance approach to exclusions and work together to avoid leaving children outside mainstream schooling.

KCC education director Patrick Leeson said: "The exclusion rate is too high and we have to recognise that and we will be doing a number of things to address that. It is an unacceptable number."

kent's permanent school exclusion figures

canterbury: 50

thanet: 30

dover: 21

swale: 39

shepway: 11

maidstone: 22

tonbridge and malling: 17

dartford: 6

gravesham: 19

sevenoaks: 13

ashford: 6

tunbridge wells: 5

According to a report due to be discussed by county councillors tomorrow, one in four of those excluded in 2009-10 were pupils with statements of special needs - a figure KCC describes as "cause for serious concern".

The figures also highlight how academies account for a disproportionate number of pupils permanently excluded.

KCC says of the 195 exclusions from secondary schools in 2010-2011, 63 were from academies - a figure the report says is "disproportionately high" given that about a third of Kent schools have chosen to become academies.

Mr Leeson said that did not mean academies were necessarily more prone to exclusions.

"It is a very mixed picture and it is difficult to come to a certain conclusion."

Of the 250 pupils permanently excluded in 2010-2011, 195 were from secondary schools and 44 from primaries. The remaining 11 were from special schools.

Cllr Mike Whiting (Con), KCC cabinet member for education and learning, said: "Too many children can fall through the net and permanent exclusions only add to the problems they face. Headteachers do want to work together. It may be that we have far fewer pupil referral units, which cost us £15m. There may be more effective ways of using that money."

Opposition Liberal Democrat spokesman Cllr Martin Vye said: "Fundamentally, something is not working and the money we are spending is not being spent efficiently. There is too much competition between schools already and the idea they should take joint responsibility is a good one."

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