- the problem is not just in education

The Department for Children, Schools and Education published figures recently showing that while the number of "exclusions" from schools seem to have fallen slightly, there are still far too many.

In particular, in England there were last year 89,000 separate exclusions for physical assault alone! (Even more worrying, there were almost 18,000 for the five to eleven age group!) This was presumably the reason behind the recent proposal by shadow secretary Michael Gove to put former soldiers into school. Discipline is a major problem.

In a school year of, say, 40 weeks, or 200 days, there are thus 450 exclusions per day, on average. In"problem" schools the figure will be much higher, of course.

It would be bad enough if the above figures were for other unacceptable offences, perhaps drugs, or carrying weapons, but these results are for physical assault - on teachers or on other students.

Clearly, among other things which are spoiling education for many and making the teaching profession unattractive physical assault must rank very highly. If class rooms are not places conducive to study and learning, then all is lost!

When students are excluded for other reasons as well, it is probable that many of the worst are serial offenders. Given that many behave in this way because they have fallen behind educationally, such exclusions will not help even though they impose costs on other students.

We probably need no-nonsense former soldiers, although given the rights culture and political correctness, what can they contribute apart from physical presence?

Longer exclusions, with considerable educational input would seem to be the only way to reduce the problem.