91�ȱ�

Twelve children aged four have been suspended from primary schools in Wrexham since the summer of 2017.

Data released by Wrexham council found a total of 168 primary age pupils in the county had been given fixed term exclusions since the summer term in 2017.

A quarter of the number of children suspended - 42 - were 10 year olds.

Wrexham council said teachers were witnessing an increase in children with difficult behavioural issues.

The local authority, which released the figures following a Freedom of Information request, has pledged to clamp down on the number of fixed-term exclusions.

Chief education officer Ian Roberts told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: "Children and young people are increasingly presenting with complex behaviours due to a range of factors.

"Whereas there has been an increase in fixed-term exclusions, this is not particular to Wrexham with similar trends across a number of local authorities.

"Each school has its own behaviour policy which it will implement through a graduated response process with exclusion never taken lightly and in most cases the last resort.

"The authority recognises a need to reduce exclusions with this being a current priority as detailed in the council plan."

A report published by the authority earlier this year, showed children across all age groups were banned from class for a total of 3,162 days during the 2017-18 school year.