Primary schools expelling 1,000 pupils every year

And many more are being handed suspensions for offences such as racism, sexual assault, and drug or alcohol-related incidents.

More than 230 children aged under 11 are suspended each day during term time, according to statistics released under the Freedom of Information Act.

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The DfES figures, for the school year 2004/05, show that 43,720 primary school children were given "fixed term exclusions".

In 2003/04 that figure stood at 41,300. Worryingly, the number of Reception Year children (those under five) given permanent exclusions has tripled to 60 - more than one every week - from 2003/04, when only 20 were expelled.

But the number of under-fives given suspensions has dropped from 1,180 to 2003/04 to 960 in 2004/05.

In total, 1,090 primary school children were expelled from school in 2004/05.

Racist abuse was the reason 330 children were suspended, 310 were sent home for sexual misconduct, while 150 children were given suspensions for drug and alcohol-related incidents.

The statistics also reveal boys are much more likely to be suspended than girls. 42,140 boys were suspended in 2004/05 compared to just 4,220 girls.

A spokesman for the DfES said these examples of "extreme behaviour" represented a "minscule proportion" of the three and a half million children at primary school.

He said: "We support heads in taking the tough decisions to exclude and have given them the powers they need to do so when necessary.

"It is important to remember that the vast majority of children are well behaved and hard working, and Ofsted is clear that pupil behaviour in the majority of schools is good for most of the time, particularly in 99 per cent of primary schools.

"Clearly it is better to prevent bad behaviour from happening in the first place than to punish it when it occurs and the social and emotional aspect of learning programme has reaped huge rewards in primary schools with behaviour showing a marked improvement.

"The programme teaches children about the impact their actions have on others and how to avoid and resolve conflict.

"Parents also have a vital role to play, especially with young children, and it is crucial that they work with schools to prevent bad behaviour.

"From September heads will be able to request parenting orders where parents simply refuse to play their part."