One Bradford secondary school pupil was suspended every 90 minutes for violence against a student or teacher, the Telegraph & Argus can reveal.

According to Government figures, 895 suspensions were handed out across the district's 28 secondary schools in 12 months. A further three pupils were expelled.

With 39 teaching weeks in the year and an average school day of 6.5 hours - that is the equivalent of 23 a week or 4.6 a day or one every 90 minutes.

The statistics released by the Yorkshire and Humber Government office were published to MPs in a Parliamentary written answer and cover 2004/5 - the latest year for which data are available.

The statistics show large disparities in the numbers of pupils suspended from each of the schools. According to the figures, Tong School at Westgate Hill issued 113 suspensions - almost three times the average across the district of 32.

Rhodesway School in Allerton took action against 82 pupils, and Parkside School at Cullingworth showed the yellow card 66 times. Bradford Cathedral Community College handed out 50, as did Thornton Grammar.

Ian Murch, Bradford secretary of the National Union of Teachers, said assaults on teachers by pupils were commonplace.

He said: "We regularly have to deal with people who are victims of assaults by pupils. We know there are a lot of assaults because many people come to the union for help in dealing with it.

"In most cases it is not serious physically but it can be damaging to their confidence if a pupil assaults them in any way and is allowed to stay in the classroom."

Tong head teacher Lyn O'Reilly said: "The figures will vary year to year and between year groups. There could be more in year nine when hormones are high, compared with students 16 to 18 years old.

"We are very tight in this school on acts of aggression. Our governing body is very keen to ensure we have a firm but fair discipline policy.

"All assaults against pupils or staff are taken very seriously and when a pupil returns from a fixed-period exclusion, a contract is signed by the pupil, family and school and targets are set and monitored to modify behaviour."

A spokesman for Education Bradford, the private company that runs the district's schools, said: "The hard work of schools, supported by Education Bradford, has resulted in a reduction of this type of incident. Education Bradford is working with schools to introduce Behaviour Support strategies which make a real difference.

"We have provided specialists who advise teachers and pupils on how best they can work together to assist pupils to deal with frustration in a non-violent way. We help schools look at a more engaging curriculum and alternatives to school for pupils who feel frustrated and need support to deal with this in a non-violent way."

A DfES spokesman said violent behaviour was not tolerated in schools, and it fully supported head teachers in taking the "difficult decisions" to exclude. He added that figures were likely to include pupils who had been suspended more than once.

Last year the Telegraph & Argus revealed that more than £3 million of tax-payers' money had been spent on troubled pupils in Bradford. Between 2005/06, £83,708 of public money was spent on excluded pupils and £2,380,356 on pupils referral units - which are mainly used for disruptive children - not those with special educational needs.

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