AN education chief at watchdog Ofsted is to write to all secondary school teachers in the borough about rising numbers of pupil exclusions.
Barnsley Council had the second highest secondary school fixed-period exclusion rate in England at 45.98 according to Ofsted figures for 2015-16.
Fixed-period exclusions are where pupils are sent home because of their behaviour for a set period of time - from part of a school day up to a maximum of 45 days.
This does not have to be continuous and pupils can be excluded for more than one fixed period.
Data shows that in 2015/16, 1,279 pupils in Barnsley were excluded at least once, and the total number of exclusions was 5,235.
Last year, 1,357 pupils were handed fixed term exclusions during the school year which ended in July. In total pupils spent 8,232 days excluded between them - an equivalent of more than 22 years.
Cathy Kirby, Ofsted’s regional director, said she would be writing to secondary headteachers this week to raise her concerns.
But Coun Tim Cheetham said he was not unduly worried.
He told the Chronicle: “The letter is drawing attention, and where local authorities are not aware of what’s going on, it raises the issue.
“That is not the case with us, we are well aware. We are working with schools to get it (the exclusion rate) down. We had a significant issue in Barnsley and that is why it spiked.
“That issue was about behaviour and the respect-culture, and schools kept a hard line with that. It’s not something we expect to continue in the long term, or would want to see continue. The issue was standards and behaviour and that is how schools in Barnsley have dealt with it.
“It has improved beyond measure. You can feel the atmosphere in schools is different where schools have done that.”
Of the 10 areas with the highest exclusion rates in England, eight are in the North East and Yorkshire and the Humber.
Ms Kirby said: “I fully appreciate variations between individual secondary schools and recognise that there may be valid reasons for schools to exclude pupils. But it is difficult to understand why fixed-period exclusion should be so much more necessary in these eight local authorities compared with others.
“Schools should only ever use exclusions as a last resort. If not properly applied, being removed from school can disrupt a child’s education and affect their future life chances.
“So I am asking inspectors to look very carefully at the use of exclusion in areas with high rates compared with national and regional figures. We want to be certain that pupils are being removed for the right reasons.”
Coun Cheetham said most exclusions were in a pupil referral unit, so the pupil didn’t miss out on education.
He added that some exclusions in Barnsley were down to new uniform regulations.
He said: “The standards weren’t what people expected, and not what you would get away with in employment either. It's a matter for headteachers. If they think that is the right tool for the job that is a matter for them, but they are doing the job we require of them. While ever results and attendance are better, and satisfaction amongst parents and teachers is better, who are we to say they are doing the wrong thing?”
