Sex abuse by kids in classrooms doubles in one year with pupils aged 4 suspended

17 February 2024 , 22:20

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[stock image] Children have been sent home for sexually assaulting their classmates (Image: Getty Images)

Cases of children sent home for sexually assaulting or harassing their classmates have more than doubled in a year.

Even in primary schools there were 618 suspensions for sexual misconduct in 2023 – with some as young as four displaying disturbing behaviour. That compares with 243 for the previous year and the 200 sent home for the same reason 10 years ago.

In total there were 6,384 cases where youngsters were suspended from schools in England for a sexual offence last year – over 30 every school day. Another 141 cases were so bad the pupil was expelled.

And there were 10 instances where children aged four were suspended from their primary school’s reception class for sexual behaviour. The figures will reignite debate over youngsters’ exposure to online sexual imagery.

Christopher McGovern, chair of the Campaign for Real Education, said: “Schools need to get a grip and they need government and police support. A start can be made by banning the unsupervised use of smartphones on school premises.

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“In addition, parents need to be made accountable for their child’s behaviour, including for online bullying and sexual harassment.” In secondary schools there were 5,741 suspensions in 2023, compared to 2,788 in the previous 12 months, and 2,220 logged 10 years ago.

A recent Parliamentary report found sexual harassment in schools was fuelled by mobile phones, with boys flashing hardcore pornography at girls as well as airdropping nude images to them. It heard girls were subjected to name calling, touching and slapping.

It concluded that “sexual harassment and sexual violence continues to be a scourge in our schools, with many girls and women feeling powerless”. The huge increase in the numbers being suspended is believed in part to be due to more children complaining.

The issue of sexual violence in schools came to prominence in 2020 with the Everyone’s Invited website where victims anonymously posted their stories.

The Department for Education said: “We have clear guidance that schools must follow to keep children safe from abuse and harassment. All must have a zero-tolerance approach.”

Saffron Otter