CONCERNS have been voiced at new figures which show suspensions in the district's schools have soared.

According to Department for Education data, there were 7,900 suspensions in Bradford district schools during the 2022-23 spring term – a 64 per cent increase compared to the same period the previous year.

On average, those suspended missed 3.6 days from school.

Tom Bright, district branch secretary of the National Education Union, says the statistics reflect what he is seeing himself in schools.

He adds: "The figures don't surprise me – it is something we are concerned about.

"Every suspension is increasing the workload for schools, because you have to deal with the incident while the child is absent and then when they get back in, and there is stress on teachers and support staff.

"We are trying to encourage children to be in school and learning. If they are having difficulty adjusting to that, then suspension is a tool of last resort."

The figures also show there were 110 suspensions in district schools for racial abuse during the 2022-23 spring term – up from 98 across the same period the year before. Thu upwards trend is mirrored nationally.

Bradford Council says its schools are "dedicated to combating racism".

Councillor Imran Khan – portfolio holder for education, employment and skills – said: "There is absolutely no place for racism in society and we stand firmly behind our schools in taking the appropriate action to tackle it.

"Exclusions are only ever a last resort but can be used to challenge unacceptable behaviour and keep children safe in school.

"Schools across our district are dedicated to combating racism, promoting racial equality and empowering students to speak up and report incidents.

"We work closely with the Bradford Hate Crime Alliance, Schools of Sanctuary and Linking Network to provide advice and support to schools."

A Department for Education spokesperson said: "Racism, discrimination and violent behaviour have no place in our schools, nor in society.

"The Government is very clear it backs headteachers to use exclusions where required, so they can provide calm, safe and supportive environments for children to learn in.

"We are providing targeted support to schools to help improve behaviour and attendance and reduce the risk of exclusions with an investment of £10 million in our Behaviour Hubs programme, and our mental health teams which will reach at least 50 per cent of pupils by 2025."