More than 130 pupils were permanently excluded from Sussex schools in a year.

The latest figures reveal thousands of children in the county are suspended each year as a result of their behaviour – with more than three a week being expelled.

This week the Government announced new measures to enable teachers to deal with disruptive pupils.

Ministers encouraged teachers to use “reasonable force” to remove pupils who were disrupting lessons and told schools not to adopt “no touch” policies which ban contact with unruly students.

In 2008/09, the last year statistics are available from, there were more than 130 permanent exclusions in the county.

The highest number was in West Sussex where more than 75 youngsters were kicked out of classrooms.

In East Sussex 17 pupils were expelled from primary schools and 45 were expelled from the county’s secondary schools.

There were no expulsions from primary schools in Brighton and Hove and less than five from the city’s secondary schools that year.

New figures showing the picture from the last school year are expected by the end of the month.

Yesterday it was revealed that assaults on school staff were at a five-year high, with 44 people having to be rushed to hospital with serious injuries across the country last year.

Nearly 1,000 pupils are suspended for abuse and assault every day while a poll of teachers found that two thirds believed bad behaviour was driving their fellow professionals out of the classroom.

Schools Minister Nick Gibb insisted the “clear and concise”

proposals would make teachers’ lives easier.

The new guidelines, which come into force from September, also include allowing head teachers to search pupils without consent for items including alcohol, illegal drugs and stolen property.

It also gives them the power to discipline pupils who misbehave outside the school and outside school hours.

They also require schools to put measures in place to deal with bullying and to protect teachers from malicious allegations.

Paul Shellard, the secretary of the Brighton and Hove branch of the National Union of Teachers, said: “We welcome confirmation that teachers can be trusted and supported in dealing with disruptive behaviour.

“We welcome clarification on physical contact with pupils and the move to ensure anonymity for teachers facing allegations.

“Careers must not be ruined where accusations are malicious and unfounded.”