The number of pupils expelled for physically assaulting adults has risen by a fifth in one year.

Some 730 pupils were permanently excluded in 2015-16 for physical assault against an adult, up from 620 in 2014-15, according to government data from 2015-16 published today.

There were also 23,440 temporary exclusions for assaults against adults in 2015-16 - a 13 per cent rise compared with 2014-15.

There was a 9 per cent rise in the number of pupils expelled for verbally abusing adults, up from 550 in 2014-5 to 600 in 2015-16.

The statistics also reveal that schools permanently excluded 475 pupils aged 7 and under in 2015-16 - a 19 per cent rise on the previous year.

Under-4s excluded

A further 10,329 pupils aged 7 or under - including 1,385 aged under 4 - had one or more temporary exclusions in 2015-16.

Overall, 6,685 pupils were excluded from school in 2015-16, which was 15 per cent more than in 2014-15. On average, 35 children were permanently excluded each day in 2015-16.

There have been growing concerns about the number of young children being excluded. Des Reynolds, chief executive of the Engage Trust, which runs nine alternative provision academies, reported last week that headteachers were expelling pupils whom they previously would have worked with.

The number of temporary exclusions increased from 302,975 in 2014-2015 to 339,360 in 2015-16. This was a rise of 12 per cent - up from 1,590 a day in 2014-15 to 1,790 in 2015-16.

There were 167,125 pupils who were excluded temporarily at least once - a rise from 154,060 in the previous year.

The most common reason for all exclusions was persistent disruptive behaviour.

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