The rate of Black Caribbean girls being kicked out of schools has tripled within the past year, official figures have revealed.
The damning data also showed that in the academic year 2021-22, this group was excluded at double the rate of white British girls, while girls from Traveller backgrounds also experienced worse school outcomes.
The exclusion rates among Gypsy schoolgirls was three times higher during the same period, while the rate among mixed white and Black Caribbean girls was also double that of white British girls, according to Freedom of Information (FOI) figures from the Department for Education (DfE).
Moreover, rates of exclusion have doubled among Traveller and Gypsy schoolgirls, the data highlights.
The FOI request was submitted to the Department of Education by Agenda Alliance, a group of over 50 charities.
Campaigners say these disparities are a combination of factors including discipline policies disproportionately impacting girls from ethnic minority backgrounds, while charities urge the government to intervene.
Indy Cross, Chief Executive of Agenda Alliance, said: “These are extremely worrying findings. We at Agenda Alliance are calling for a zero tolerance to harmful behaviour policies which blight girls’ futures.
“We know schools do a tough job and that teachers are hard-pressed. But by the government’s own measure, girls at the sharpest end of disadvantage are being set up to fail.
“Racial and gender stereotypes have no place in today’s education for young women. Enough is enough. No more excuses that poverty also inevitably jeopardises education. We can – and must - do better than this.”
