BEHAVIOUR at schools across South Lakeland is among the best in the North West, exclusion figures released by Cumbria County Council have revealed, writes Caroline Beamish.

The percentage of fixed term exclusions from secondary schools across the district is lower than that of other parts of Cumbria which, as a county, compares favourably on the national scale.

For the 2004 to 2005 academic year there were 765 separate exclusions dished out across nine South Lakeland secondary schools. Of these, just three students were excluded permanently.

Barry Archibald, head of exclusion for Cumbria, said: "For the 2003/04 school year one pupil was responsible for 2.4 exclusions, so it is likely that a small number of children generated the exclusions seen last year.

"The schools in South Lakeland, along with those in the Eden Valley, have very few permanent exclusions year on year, and they are very good at dealing with them and getting students back into mainstream education when they occur.

"The figures may vary from school to school and are subject to interpretation by head teachers according to each school's policy on behaviour.

"Therefore, a school with a higher percentage of exclusions than another might have stricter policies, and isn't necessarily a worse school."

Last year, South Lakeland saw three exclusions for physical assaults on adults, 26 for drug or alcohol misuse, 11 for cases of bullying and three for sexual misconduct.

But the biggest cause of fixed term exclusions was persistent disruptive behaviour, which accounted for 298 cases.

Verbal abuse against an adult, including threatening behaviour, accounted for a further 208 exclusions.

Dr David Selby, head teacher of The Lakes School, at Troutbeck Bridge, which made no permanent exclusions last year, said the boundaries on behaviour must be made very clear for students.

"I set out clear guidelines on what is likely to get someone excluded it's similar to what would get a player sent off in a football match. Verbal and physical abuse will not be tolerated in any form.

"A fairly small number of children are responsible for the exclusions which are given as a clear statement that they have behaved in an unacceptable way.

"But schools across South Lakeland are very good at investing time in working with parents and pupils to try to avoid exclusions in the first place."

Phil Hyman, head teacher of Kendal's Kirkbie Kendal School, said policies at the school echoed the sentiments made by schools minister Jacqui Smith earlier in the year that indicated there should be a zero tolerance approach to all kinds of disruptive behaviour.