by Dan Bloom

Almost 1,000 pupils in Medway were suspended from the classroom last year - between them missing a staggering 28 years of school.

New figures show pupils given "fixed-term" exclusions in the Towns had an average of two each in just nine months.

Yet despite the number of repeat offenders, only eight pupils were permanently expelled between September 2010 and this May, compared to 56 in 2006 and 44 in 2007.

Seven are believed to be from Chatham's Bishop of Rochester Academy, with a further student from an unnamed secondary school.

The dramatic drop in numbers has been put down to a new system of "managed moves", where students change schools without being formally kicked out. There were 56 managed moves last year.

A Medway Council report denied the system was too lenient, saying: "These are supported 'fresh starts'. These decisions are managed between the schools where they think they can help individual children."

Independent education adviser Peter Read agreed: "I don't believe it is a sign of leniency. If children are permanently excluded from a school they still have to move to another one."

Last year, 1,997 suspensions were given to a total of 975 pupils in Medway. Three-quarters were at secondary schools, with 329 at primary schools and 179 at special schools.

On average, pupils were removed for three days at a time, but in total they lost 5,632 days - the equivalent of more than 28 school years.

The figures emerged as part of a major council study giving a window on young peoples' lives in the Towns.

The Children and Young People's Plan sets out 12 points for improving services, including teaching parenting skills, reducing bullying and improving residents' health.

Among the revelations was that men in the most deprived parts of Medway - central Chatham, Gillingham and Luton - live up to 10 years less than the national average. For women, the figure was more than three years below average.

The early deaths were pinned on cancer, heart disease and stroke, partly caused by smoking and bad diet.

Cllr Theresa Murray (Lab) said: "We believe a lack of affordable housing, as well as overcrowding play their part."

One in five of Medway's year six children are now obese and less than a quarter of adults eat the recommended five portions of fruit and vegetables a day.