THERE have been 190 suspensions of pupils at an education centre in the past three months - a rate of more than three a day.

Darlington Education Village says the suspensions were part of efforts to improve discipline at the centre, which opened in April and has nearly 1,400 pupils.

The Education Village includes Springfield Primary and Haughton Community schools, and Beaumont Hill Technology College.

Haughton has had 168 suspensions since the first day of term on September 6, Beaumont Hill has had 17 and Springfield five.

A spokesman for the Education Village said high exclusion rates were part of a strategy to improve discipline.

"Our ethos is based on raising standards, not only in attainment, but in inclusion, attendance and behaviour," said the spokesman.

"There has been an increase in the number of fixed-term exclusions, because poor behaviour and disruptions in class are simply unacceptable."

He said education watchdog Ofsted acknowledged that when more consistent disciplinary arrangements were established, exclusion rates rose and would then fall again.

"The vast majority of pupils are well behaved.

"For those who behave badly and are a given a fixed-term exclusion, the message is clear: 'If you behave yourself, you will be welcomed back'."

Councillor Cyndi Hughes, chairwoman of Darlington Borough Council's lifelong learning scrutiny committee, said the issue would be investigated.

"I am extremely concerned and intend approaching the director of children's services for a full update," she said.

The figures refer to numbers of suspensions, rather than numbers of pupils suspended, as some pupils have been suspended more than once.

Suspensions - when students are barred from the school - can be as short as one day or as long as 45 days.

The number of permanent exclusions is not known because they are all still subject to appeal.