EXCLUSIVE: More teenagers are being permanently excluded from schools in Rotherham and Sheffield

Hallam FM's obtained exclusive and "alarming" figures which show that the number of kids being permanently excluded from schools in parts of South Yorkshire has gone up dramatically.

In Rotherham alone between the last two academic years at secondary schools it's doubled from 23 to 46.

While in Sheffield at 115 it's now more than ten times higher than in 2010.

The number of primary school pupils in Sheffield being permanently excluded has also gone up to 21 in 2014/15.

Our Chief Reporter Laura Pennington has this exclusive:

We've been speaking to students who are part of this growing number of young people which schools can't cope with.

Joban, 15, told us at first when he was kicked out of school he wasn't too bothered:

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"To be honest I didn't really care. I just thought 'Allow it, it's cool. I'll get back into school'. But it never happened. My education's obbviously gone down hill. I don't think I'm going to be able to get a job and that."

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13 year old Shazaib said he felt like he'd been given up on:

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"I didn't even care about education. I didn't want to be in school. My mum was coming in to meetings crying every time saying 'I want you to go in to school. I want you to learn'. I was like 'I don't want to learn. I want to chill and go on the streets'.

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"It feels like my future's gone down the drain but I'm going to try my best to build it back up and prove everyone wrong. Well not everyone, just my teachers. I don't feel like they think I have a future - they've told me so many times 'You'll just get kicked out, there's no point coming to school'. I just want to prove them wrong."

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Hanif Mohammed is from the In2Change project which supports young people back into mainstream education.

He said:

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"Unfortunately the figures are quite alarming and there's a steady rise now. We're working alongside schools to try and alleviate this problem. Our whole goal is to try and get young people to re-engage in schools and to eliminate them being permanently excluded."

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At In2Change they have classes of around six pupils and two members of staff.

Teenagers can work towards qualifications too.

Hanif added:

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"Whilst we're good at what we do, we have to be realistic we're not equipped to give them an entire future. What we're here for is the interim to change attitude and behaviour in order for them to be able to excel and succeed at school. We do customer service, literacy, numeracy.

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"When we're not delivering those subjects we do other things around behavioural support, sexual exploitation awareness, internet safety, drugs, weapons, violence. These are the kind of lessons that, while they don't teach them in schools, these are prevalent in the communities where these young people live."

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Joban added:

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"It made a lot of difference when I started coming to In2Change. I thought it was just going to be like school. They'd try and tell me what to do all the time and then I'd get mad. Obviously I'd then get kicked off the placement and I'd have nowhere; no school, no education. But they speak to you on your level. They've done everything that we've done."

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16-year-old Louise told us she was kicked out of school after assaulting a teacher.

She's now started at In2Change:

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"They treat you more like family and they're nicer. They'll do more stuff with you which is why this is probably the best place to be. You don't have to wear uniform, I guess some people feel more comfortable like that."

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In response to the figures a Sheffield City Council spokesman said:

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"There are a number of reasons why exclusions have increased. In Sheffield, the local authority has strengthened procedures around permanent exclusions and transfers. The impact of the policy change has in part led to exclusion rates increasing as a result, but we are working with schools to address the reasons for poor behaviour and reduce the need for permanent exclusion."

Karen Borthwick, Rotherham Council’s Director for Schools and Lifelong Learning, said that permanently excluding a child or young person from school should only ever be a last option taken if all other avenues had been explored, and that it was in the best interests of the child. She added:

“Earlier this year, following a recent rise in the number of exclusions for pupils from secondary schools in the borough, Rotherham Council initiated a review of the arrangements for all pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs. “Working closely with schools and partners, the review considered the suitability of services and provision for children and young people and whether the current arrangements provided the best outcomes for them. We looked at national guidance and best practice, and consulted with key partners who work and provide services in schools. “Following the review, Rotherham Council, schools and partners agreed a joint approach to supporting these more vulnerable groups of learners. Specific improvements include creating a new role and remit for the Pupil Referral Unit, establishing better partnerships in schools, and developing consistent and fair procedures across the borough. “We will be monitoring the impact of these measures closely as we progress through the year.”

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