Girl, 3, becomes 'youngest to be excluded from school' after attacking classmate

A girl aged just three who attacked another child has become one of the youngest ever to be banned from school.

The child was sent home from the reception class of her school in Caerphilly, South Wales.

'She was given a temporary exclusion for assault on a pupil, disruptive behaviour and breaching school rules,' said a Caerphilly Council spokesman.

The girl was the youngest of 1,000 pupils in Wales who were excluded in the last year.

Her case was highlighted as teachers warned of the worrying increase in serious classroom misbehaviour - including violence, sexual misconduct, bullying, threatening behaviour and theft.

The Association of Teachers and Lecturers said the surge in violent and threatening behaviour by schoolchildren has led two out of three teachers to consider leaving the profession.

More than 65 per cent of teachers said they had been verbally threatened and insulted by pupils, the association said.

Patrick Nash, chief executive of the support charity Teacher Support Cymru, said disruptive pupils had to be dealt with because of the impact they have on teachers' morale and on other children's education.

'Persistently disruptive behaviour is taking a greater toll on teacher welfare and standards of education.

'Teachers are responsible for teaching - not confronting violent, threatening or criminal behaviour.'

He called on teachers to make full use of their legal powers to punish disorderly pupils.

'A teacher's right to discipline pupils is enshrined in law, for example through the use of parental contracts.

'This legislation must be implemented locally by school leaders. Too many teachers we speak to are simply unaware that it exists.'