TEACHING union leaders in East Lancashire have backed new plans for tackling "problem" pupils.

The NUT is supporting measures that will see troublesome children split between local schools as part of Government measures to improve pupil behaviour.

Education and Skills Secretary Charles Clarke outlined the proposals, which include limiting the number of previously excluded pupils a school would have to admit, at the National College for School Leadership's conference for new heads.

He also published a Statement of Expectations for pupil behaviour and new powers for head teachers to tackle the carrying of knives in schools.

Mr Clarke said: "While standards of behaviour are generally good in the vast majority of schools, I want to ensure that every head has the means to tackle bad behaviour and raise standards."

Simon Jones, National Union of Teachers national executive member, said the decision to ensure that all schools, including grammar schools and academies, took a fair share of excluded pupils was a logical step in improving the standard of all schools.

He said: "In Blackburn with Darwen we have the problem of placing problem pupils in one or two establishments.

"Schools which have a good reputation in dealing with difficult pupils tend to get sent more, which sends that school spiralling downwards."

However, Andrew Dunn, of the National Association of School Masters and Women Teachers, said his union members had reservations.

He added: "The facts seem to be that a few schools will benefit at the expense of the majority.

"I have seen first hand the damage that bringing a select core of bad pupils into a school can cause and don't want to see our good schools being brought down under these measures," he explained.