PUPILS with special educational needs are more likely to be excluded from school than their peers, councillors have been told.

The comment was made at a council watchdog meeting on Tuesday when council officials were quizzed on special educational needs provision in Barnsley, its strengths and areas that need improvement.

The town’s total SEND population, children with educational health care plans, statements or receiving special educational need support, reached 8,716 in April this year. Of those, some are in mainstream primary and secondary schools, and some are in special schools.

Councillors were told data for Barnsley indicates a particular issue with exclusions and attendance in relation to special educational needs pupils.

Margaret Libreri, council boss for education, said: “We are seeing an increase in pupils at the SEND stage being excluded from school and we need to reduce persistent absence among that group.”

In Barnsley the number of pupils with at least one fixed term exclusion increased from 8.5 per cent in 2014/15 - when it was higher than the national rate - rising to 11 per cent for 2015/16, the latest data available.

Coun Rob Frost commented that academy schools appear to use exclusions as a way to impose discipline.

Ms Libreri said: “We raised this with secondary school heads but also with individual schools with high levels of exclusions.

“We do have challenge meetings around that and are being more challenging around fair access about support given to children at risk of fixed term exclusion or permanent exclusion. You often find with children who have repeated fixed term exclusion there will be other issues contributing to that such as social or mental health issues or family crisis.”

She also said a critical issue is how the council works with parents and young people as Barnsley no longer has an active parents and carers forum.

Coun Sarah Tattersall urged officers to press ahead with developing a way to engage with parents.

Richard Lynch, head of commissioning, governance and partnerships for the people directorate, said proposals have been drawn up to do this.

He told Coun Tattersall: “You raise a really powerful point.

“A parent and carer forum proposal is on the table.

“Some members may know the parent carers forum dissolved about a year to 18 months ago and since then there has been no systematic way of engaging parents and carers in strategic planning.

“The proposal we have put forward, which we have discussed with some parents, is to engage an external organisation to facilitate that work, supported by the children and young people’s trust and be an organisation that crucially would be independent of any of our organisations and that would help to lend weight to the voice of parents and carers.”

Mr Lynch said the council is poised to begin wider consultation on this proposal shortly.

The meeting was also told of many areas of strength within SEND services including leadership and governance, early years provision, and that education health and care plans are being issued within required time scales.

Coun Roya Pourali asked council officials what the outcome would be if SEND services were to be inspected by Ofsted now.

Ms Libreri said: “I think it would be that they would recognise the progress we have made.

“I think they would agree with the strengths identified here (in the report) as we can evidence those.”

Rachel Dickinson, who heads up children’s services, added: “They (Ofsted) would conclude we know ourselves and have foundations in place to continue to deliver improvements and improve outcomes for this group of children and there would be confidence in that.”