More than a hundred pupils have been kicked out of Staffordshire's schools this academic year - including 23 in East Staffordshire.

The borough is joint-second in a new table ranking the county's districts where students have been permanently excluded.

Burton's De Ferrers Academy expelled more pupils than any other school in the borough - four - while JCB Academy, Rocester, permanently excluded three.

Six East Staffordshire schools featured in a list of the 32 Staffordshire schools that had excluded the most students in 2017/18.

A spokesman for Thomas Alleyne's High School, Uttoxeter, which expelled two pupils, said: "We are not able to share reasons for the permanent exclusion, as due to the number being so low, this could lead to the identification of a child and pose a safeguarding risk.

"Permanent exclusions are only issued in response to a serious breach or persistent breaches of the school’s behaviour policy; and where allowing the pupil to remain in school would seriously harm the education or welfare of the pupil or others in the school."

Thomas Alleyne's High School, Uttoxeter

Oldfields Hall Middle School, another Uttoxeter school which excluded two children, issued a similar statement, but none of the other schools in the table responded to our requests for comments.

Data for the whole county shows "persistent disruptive behaviour" as the most common reason for pupils being removed.

This was followed by drug and alcohol issues, fighting and verbal abuse.

There was also one case of sexual misconduct and another of racial abuse.

Karl Hobson, manager for targeted services at Staffordshire County Council, told a recent meeting: "Staffordshire has had a recent history that each year our permanent exclusions would rise significantly.

"This year I'm pleased to report that the evidence we have so far is demonstrating that although we won't see a reduction we won't see a significant rise.

"Some of that work is down to inclusion officers who work with schools to look at exclusions.

"We had one school which was looking to exclude a number of pupils at once, but rather than exclude those children, we looked for other schools.

The de Ferrers Academy

"They were moved to another school so they could continue their education and put right their wrongs.

"That led to their movement without the stigma a permanent exclusion brings.

"We have done a lot of work on that this year and this has proved very successful."

Meanwhile, absence rates at Staffordshire's six pupil referral units (PRUs) are a cause for concern.

PRUs cater for children who do not attend mainstream schools and are at risk of permanent exclusion, or have been excluded.

Latest figures show overall absence rates at Staffordshire PRUs are 13.5 per cent above the national average of 4.7 per cent.

Councillor Philip White, cabinet member for learning and employability, said: "That is very concerning and something we are doing work on to examine why that may be the case.

"PRUs are there as a short-stay facility to take children who have difficulties and are out of mainstream school and get them back into mainstream education as soon as possible. But that is not happening in some cases.

"I don't think there is anything negative - if anything they are over-caring. There are two PRUs that are good in getting children back to school and that ethos is key."

The Staffordshire schools that have expelled pupils this academic year

The Hart School (Cannock Chase) - 9

Kingsmead School (Cannock Chase) - 6

Staffordshire University Academy (Cannock Chase) - 4

Clayton Hall Academy (Newcastle) - 4

The King's CofE (VA) School (Newcastle) - 4

Wolstanton High Academy (Newcastle) - 4

The de Ferrers Academy (East Staffordshire) - 4

Great Wyrley High School (South Staffordshire) - 4

Moorhill Primary School (Cannock Chase) - 3

Newcastle Academy (Newcastle) - 3

The JCB Academy (East Staffordshire) - 3

Blessed William Howard Catholic School (Stafford) - 3

The Weston Road Academy (Stafford) - 3

Leek High School (Staffordshire Moorlands) - 3

Chase Terrace Technology College (Lichfield) - 3

The Friary School (Lichfield) - 3

Cannock Chase High School - 2

Pye Green Academy (Cannock Chase) - 2

Chesterton Community Sports College (Newcastle) - 2

Sir Thomas Boughey Academy (Newcastle) - 2

University Academy Kidsgrove (Newcastle) - 2

Abbot Beyne School (East Staffordshire) - 2

John Taylor High School (East Staffordshire) - 2

Oldfields Hall Middle School (East Staffordshire) - 2

Thomas Alleyne's High School (East Staffordshire) - 2

King Edward VI High School (Stafford) - 2

Stafford Manor High School (Stafford) - 2

Ounsdale High School (South Staffordshire) - 2

The Cheadle Academy (Staffordshire Moorlands) - 2

Nether Stowe School (Lichfield) - 2

The Rawlett School (An Aet Academy) (Tamworth) - 2

The Wilnecote Academy (Tamworth) - 2

How many pupils have been permanently excluded from schools in your district between September 2017 and March 2018?

Cannock Chase - 34
Newcastle - 23
East Staffordshire - 23
Stafford - 19
South Staffordshire - 14
Staffordshire Moorlands - 11
Lichfield - 11
Tamworth - 11

Reasons for permanent exclusions

Persistent disruptive behaviour - 61
Physical assault against an adult - 19
Physical assault against a pupil - 17
Drug and alcohol-related - 13
Verbal abuse/threatening behaviour against a pupil - 8
Verbal abuse/threatening behaviour against an adult - 4
Damage - 3
Sexual misconduct - 1
Racist abuse - 1
Other - 19