EXPULSION rates at Burnley's high schools have nearly doubled over the past 12 months, according to new figures.

Eight students were kicked out of the borough's secondary schools in 2017-18 - but this had risen to 15 by this academic year.

But the number of pupils excluded in Hyndburn, Pendle and Rossendale all dipped over the same periods, the county council's education scrutiny committee has been told.

Stephen Belbin, the authority's interim director for education and skills, said: "Evidence would suggest that exclusions rise most noticeably in schools that are judged to require improvement or special measures.

"There also rise in schools that have recently converted to become an academy."

He told county councillors inclusion hubs were being developed in each district to provide additional advice and guidance for schools, as well as short-term provisions for 'at-risk' pupils.

This would start in primary schools in April before being rolled out to secondary schools later.

In the same report, Mr Belbin also noted the number of students whose parents opted for home schooling had increased from 921 in 2014-15 to 1,519 so far, during this academic year. Mental health reasons are often cited as a cause for withdrawals from mainstream schooling.