Lambeth has highest school exclusion rate in inner London

I have had a response to a Freedom of Information request from Lambeth Council regarding exclusion rates in the borough.

The stats I asked for show permanent exclusions increasing steadily over the last five years:

These figures are alarming. But also of concern was the commentary that Lambeth provided along with the requested information. Rather than simply providing the facts it claimed in its response:

"Lambeth’s permanent exclusion rates are in line with most Inner London Boroughs which have all fluctuated in the past five years.”

So let's look at the last five years compared to other inner London boroughs. Fortunately comparative stats are available on the Department for Education Website. What a comparison reveals is that Lambeth’s exclusion rates were the highest of all 14 inner London boroughs in 2009/10 (the latest year that statistics are available).

In 2008/09 it also topped the tables with the most exclusions of any inner London borough.

In 2007/08 it had the second worst exclusion rates.

In 2006/07 it had the third worst exclusion rates.

In 2005/06 it again had the third worst exclusion rates.

So as well as being manifestly untrue that Lambeth’s exclusion rates haven’t been in line with most inner city boroughs, there hasn’t been much “fluctuation” either. If anything there has been a steady and gradual deterioration over the last five years compared with other inner city boroughs.

The apparent unwillingness to even acknowledge that there is a problem is the most worrying thing of all.