A record number of children are being suspended from UK schools for breaching rules related to drink, drugs, and smoking, highlighting a deepening crisis in school discipline. New data reveals that in the year up to July 2024, there were 24,554 suspensions and 742 expulsions linked to such offences—equating to roughly 130 suspensions and four expulsions each school day. This represents an 8% increase compared to figures from two years earlier, signalling a worrying upward trend in substance-related disciplinary issues among pupils, some as young as six.

The Department for Education data sheds light on regional disparities, with Essex topping the list at 889 suspensions and 27 expulsions. Other areas with notably high figures included Hampshire, Kent, Surrey, Hertfordshire, and Staffordshire, alongside northern and western counties like Lancashire, North Yorkshire, Somerset, and Devon. London's largest boroughs, Croydon and Barnet, also registered significant numbers of suspensions. These figures underscore the widespread nature of this problem across England.

Experts warn that these statistics likely represent only the visible portion of a larger issue. Christopher McGovern, chairman of the Campaign for Real Education, described the data as "shocking," emphasising that many drug, smoking, and alcohol offences go undetected or unreported. He highlighted the strain on teachers dealing with collapsing standards of behaviour, as social problems increasingly spill over into the classroom environment. The Department for Education has responded by reaffirming its commitment to supporting educators and working to create safe, calm classrooms. It is rolling out targeted initiatives such as attendance and behaviour hubs focused on schools facing the greatest challenges.

This surge in substance-related suspensions forms part of a broader pattern of rising disciplinary actions in English schools since the Covid-19 pandemic. For context, the 2022–23 academic year saw a national 36% rise in overall school suspensions and a 44% increase in permanent exclusions, with persistent disruptive behaviour cited as the primary cause. The total number of suspensions reached 787,000, with 9,400 permanent exclusions, both all-time highs. Government data from earlier in 2023 also noted a 12% rise in suspensions and a smaller 2% increase in exclusions in the spring term, with Covid-related disruptions widely blamed for deteriorating classroom behaviour.

The issue is not confined to recent years. Data from the 2015–16 academic year shows schools issued over 9,250 permanent and fixed-term exclusions for drug and alcohol-related offenses, even then marking a significant rise from prior years. Regions like Yorkshire and Humber reported particularly high exclusion rates. Experts have consistently called for schools not only to enforce discipline but also to educate pupils that drug use is not a social norm and to provide support for excluded students to mitigate long-term harm.

Taken together, these insights paint a complex picture of mounting behavioural and substance abuse challenges in schools, posing serious difficulties for educators and policymakers alike. As disciplinary cases climb and issues spill into classrooms with younger pupils affected, there is a pressing need for comprehensive intervention strategies that combine prevention, education, support, and enforcement. The Department for Education’s new programmes mark an attempt to address these challenges, but the scale and persistence of the problem suggest it will require sustained, multi-faceted efforts.

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Source: Noah Wire Services