14-05-2025
Concerns over behaviour in Bridgend schools as permanent exclusions treble
Concerns over behaviour in Bridgend schools as permanent exclusions treble
Officers said the increase came because of a number of factors
The number of permanent exclusions in Bridgend county borough schools has trebled since the 2021-22 school year according to figures released by the local authority. Members in attendance at a council scrutiny session heard how recent data showed "concerning trends" in pupil behaviour across Bridgend which mirrored a wider situation in schools across Wales.
The report showed that the number of permanent exclusions in Bridgend county borough had increased from nine in the 2021-22 school year to 30 in the 2023-24 school year. These were made up of seven primary school learners and 23 secondary school learners who were all permanently excluded.
There were also 1,589 fixed-term exclusions across the borough in 2023-24 for both primary and secondary schools leading to a total of 2,953.5 days being lost.
Officers said the increase came because of a number of factors, most notably the Covid-19 pandemic which resulted in mental health challenges, resource constraints, and societal pressures.
They added that they would be implementing a number of strategies to improve behaviour and attendance which included setting targets to improve pupil attendance rates with a Miss School, Miss Out campaign, along with regular training programmes to upskill school staff.
There will also be use of the family engagement officer which has been highlighted as being effective in bridging the gap between children and their parents. For the latest Bridgend news sign up to our newsletter here.
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Additionally the authority will use the Inspire 2 Work/Achieve programme which is designed to support young people aged 11 to 25 who could be at risk of not being in education or employment.
Speaking at the meeting councillor Martyn Jones, cabinet member for education and youth services, said he had given a personal commitment to officers and schools in tackling issues with attendance and behaviour.
He also called for support from parents across Bridgend county borough to work with school leaders and specialists in cases of bad behaviour.
Councillor Alex Williams asked if cuts of 24% for counselling services in the recent budget were wise given the current situation though Cllr Jones responded by saying that the cuts to school services were forced upon them by the budget they were given.
Head teachers also spoke to the chamber with one saying after 16 years he had given out more permanent exclusions in the last two years than he had in the previous 14.
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However it was highlighted that in most cases they were talking about a small group of pupils with the majority said to be engaged and having amazing learning experiences.
Others also echoed the need for parental involvement, stressing the importance of school values and funding for supporting services with a need for "boots on the ground".
The report also said that out of the 60 schools in Bridgend 40 were expected to run a budget deficit for 2024-25 with financial pressures having "significant implications" on behaviour management.
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When it came to attendance it was noted that while it remained lower than pre-pandemic levels pupil attendance in both primary and secondary schools had increased since 2021 and was above the all-Wales average.
