A MELKSHAM school has the third highest amount of exclusions in the whole of the county, new figures reveal. 

Melksham Oak had a rate of excluding 17.4 pupils in every 100 between 2020 and 2021.

The school did not respond to a request to comment from this newspaper, but as stated on their website, exclusions are issued by Learning Director or Senior Staff for “extreme behaviour.”

In the school’s behaviour for learning police, they note: “Fixed term exclusion will be a consequence for serious or persistent offenders.

“The Headteacher or Deputy Headteachers will decide which sanction is appropriate.

“Direct swearing at staff and unprovoked physical violence are likely to result in exclusion.

“Exclusion may take the form of Fixed term exclusion to the care of parents or to the Lancaster Centre.

“In both cases work should be set to prevent students falling behind. This work could be set electronically or via Websites supporting students’ learning.”

They later add: “Permanent exclusion from Melksham Oak School community will be a consequence for serious and/or persistent offenders.

“This will be decided by the Headteacher.”

The school in Wiltshire with highest rate of exclusion in Wiltshire is Avon Valley Academy – a state-funded secondary school in Salisbury, with 37.4 exclusions per 100 pupils.

The second highest was Wyvern College, also a state-funded secondary in Salibsury. Their exclusion rate is 20.1 per 100.

After that was Melksham Oak, followed by Kingsbury Green Academy which is a state-funded secondary in Calne, where 16.4 of every 100 pupils get excluded.

Springfields Academy, which is a special school in Calne has the fifth highest rate of exclusion in Wiltshire, with 15.1 exclusions per 100.

Department for Education figures have revealed 3,038 permanent or temporary exclusions across the 236 state schools in Wiltshire in the 2020-21 academic year.

The Children's Society has called for stronger government guidance on the issue, after data revealed the "huge differences" in the rate of exclusions in schools across England.

Iryna Pona, policy and impact manager for the organisation, said: "Behavioural issues that could lead to exclusion, are often an indicator of larger issues children are experiencing, such as unmet special educational needs, bullying, abuse or exploitation.

“Some schools may have more children that require additional support, some may lack resources or awareness and training so they don’t know how to support the child and tackle any issues before resorting to excluding.