The rate of permanent exclusions of pupils from Swindon's secondary schools, particularly those not under the control of the borough council, more than doubled last year.

Thirty-eight pupils were expelled from non-maintained schools across the borough in 2016-17.

That's more than double the 15 who were excluded the previous year.

While the trend in exclusions is upwards generally, the jump between the two years is marked.

In 2011-12 12 pupils were excluded permanently from non-maintained schools, that dropped the next year to nine, and reached as low as seven in 2012-14. That figure nearly tripled to 20 in 2014-15.

Two pupils were excluded from the only council maintained secondary school Abbey Park School, in 2016-17.

The rate of permanent exclusions of younger pupils has also grown.

In 2013-14 only one was excluded from council-run primaries, but three were in 2015-16 and four in 2016-17

In non-maintained primaries the rate has tripled form three in 2015-16 to nine in the last year for which figures are available.

Of the total 53 children excluded in 2016-17 nine had education health and care statements, and 11 were receiving Special Educational Needs support. None were children looked after by the borough council.

Boys outnumber girls in the exclusions by more than five to one - of those excluded permanently in 2016-17, 45 were boys and eight were girls.

The figures are included in a report to the borough council's children's education, care and health scrutiny committee, which meets at 6pm at Euclid Street on Wednesday January 23.