More than 200 children have faced permanent exclusion from Hertfordshire schools since the start of the academic year, data shows.

Headteachers can permanently exclude any child where there has been a 'serious breach' or 'persistant breaches' of the school's behaviour policy.

Or, alternatively, they can permanently exclude if they believe that a child remaining in school would seriously harm the education or welfare of others.

According to the latest available data, education officials at the county council have been notified of 228 permanent exclusions since September.

Thirty-five of those were because of a physical assault against a pupil – with a further 23 relating to a physical assault against an adult.

And 108 – that's almost half – were for 'persistent disruptive behaviour'.

But the also data also shows that 65 of those permanent exclusions – of which the county council were notified – were later withdrawn.

The data will be presented to councillors at a meeting of the county council's education, libraries and lifelong cabinet panel on Tuesday (June 18).

Of the 228 permanent exclusions that the council was notified of, 193 involved pupils attending secondary schools.

Thirty-one of those involved pupils at primary schools – and two in Reception classes.

Most of those permanent exclusions related to children who were either receiving SEN support (81) or had an EHCP (46).

And of those 127 permanent exclusions, the data shows that 35 were withdrawn.

The report also contains data on permanent exclusions as a rate of school population for the 2021/22 academic year.

It shows that nationally during this 12-month period, the rate of permanent exclusion in the primary sector was 0.02.

But the rate in Hertfordshire was half that national rate – at 0.01 per cent.

In the secondary sector the permanent exclusion rate nationally was 0.16 per cent – but in Hertfordshire it was just 0.08 per cent.