THE number of pupils who have been expelled from schools across East Lancashire has risen by a more than a quarter in a year, new figures reveal.

Headteachers said they are not surprised by the rise because less support has been given to children with behavioural problems as budget cuts start to bite.

Across East Lancashire there were 157 permanent exclusions in secondary and primary schools this school year compared to 124 the year before.

Figures released by Lancashire County Council show permanent exclusions rose from 38 to 43 in Burnley, in Rossendale from 14 to 20 while in Pendle they fell from 44 to 33 from 2015/16 to 2016/17.

In Hyndburn and Ribble Valley the number who have been permanently excluded has more than doubled from 27 in 2015/16 to 58 in 2016/17.

The county had the highest number of expulsions in the country for the academic year 2015/16, with 305 pupils excluded from state-funded primary, secondary and special schools - an increase of 55 on the year before.

However with more than 160,000 school-age children, education bosses said the percentage rate was in line with national averages at 0.18 per cent.

Government figures show in 2015/16 the majority of students in Lancashire were excluded for persistent disruptive behaviour (96), while 56 were excluded for physically assaulting an adult and 21 were drug and alcohol related.

Paul Trickett, headteacher at Rhyddings Business and Enterprise School in Oswaldtwistle, said most exclusions were for children who were struggling in mainstream education rather than for 'outrageous incidents'.

He said: "Mainstream education is now far more inclusive.

"Because of constraints, such as budget cuts, support that used to be available quite freely is no longer there.

"If you had children in danger of exclusion or who need help in terms of behaviour that was accessible but not any more.

"There are a number of children in mainstream schools that should not be there. That is the situation."

Xavier Bowers, headteacher at Mount Carmel RC High School in Accrington, said he was not surprised by the rise.

He said: "In Hyndburn we have a concentration of low ability and high deprivation so that is why the figures might be higher, I expect, than the Ribble Valley given the demographic factors.

"There are a number of factors including accountability measures, the impact of budget cuts and reducing resources in schools.

"The number of children coming in with behaviour issues from primary schools has significantly increased.

"The other factor is the impact of social welfare cuts with families that have previously had significant support from local authorities and social services having that withdrawn.

"They are struggling to cope with all sorts of behaviour problems and many of the families expect schools to pick it up.

"Schools do not have the resources to employ additional class support. They are left to do the best they can with the resources available."

Mark Jackson, headteacher at Haslingden High School and Sixth Form, said exclusion was a last resort unless there is a specific incident.

"I also think trying to force more students down the academic route is not helping.

"The government is pushing apprenticeships and vocational education at 16 to 18 but are doing the opposite at 14 to 16."

Department for Education figures show the number of fixed period exclusions (suspensions) also rose between 2014/15 and 2015/16 from 5,550 to 6,765 in Lancashire with the majority, 1,626, for persistent disruptive behaviour.

More than 1,000 were for physically assault against a pupil, 1,635 were classed as 'other' and 1,206 were for verbal abuse. In 69 cases it was for a racist abuse and in 21 for sexual misconduct.

A spokesman for Lancashire County Council said the overall percentage was low with fixed term exclusions lower than the North West average, but the authority was ommitted to reducing it.

He said: "Decisions to exclude pupils either permanently or for a fixed period are entirely for individual headteachers to take, and one we think is only made as a last resort.

"Schools do everything possible to keep pupils in school, and work with parents, carers and a range of external agencies to do this."

He added they fully support the right of headteachers to maintain and improve discipline in their schools.

Sam Ud-din, Lancashire division secretary for the National Union of Teachers, said: "It comes back to the level of funding available to local authorities and schools to cope with the level of need families have.

"In very many schools pupil behaviour is the first thing our members will come to us about."

In Blackburn with Darwen the latest figures available for 2015/16 show there were three permanent exclusions while fixed period exclusions rose from 350 to 461 in 2015/16.