Primary school kids becoming more violent

Around 89 youngsters aged between five and 11 were ordered out of the classroom each day for these reasons in 2010/11, Department for Education statistics revealed.

In total, 850 children are given fixed-term expulsions every day and almost 11 pupils are permanently excluded for assaulting or verbally abusing their classmates and teachers.

The statistics reveal the state of behaviour in England's schools and suggest that the situation in primaries is worsening.

Primary age pupils were suspended 9,160 times in 2010/11 for physically assaulting another child, up from 9,030 occasions the previous year.

They were also given fixed exclusions on 7,830 occasions for attacking a member of staff, an extra 600 times compared with 2009/10.

Teachers' union NASUWT leader Chris Keates said there was an urgent need to tackle disruptive behaviour, as these figures have shown it is the most common reason for pupil exclusion.

Barnardo's chief executive Anne Marie Carrie added: "Exclusion from mainstream education simply doesn't deal with the underlying issues, merely the symptoms.

"Disruptive or even violent behaviour is never acceptable but children who act like this are often facing problems at home and experience has taught us that intervening early to support the whole family is the most effective approach."

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