London schools are worst for discipline

London's schools have some of the worst discipline problems in the country with more than 250 children thrown out for bad behaviour every day.

Pupils were suspended or expelled from the city's state schools 50,000 times over the last academic year, government figures showed.

Across England the picture improved, with fewer pupils facing the toughest sanctions for bad behaviour.

But in London the figures showed on average 263 children were excluded from the city's state schools every day.

Drug and alcohol abuse accounted for 9,000 suspensions and expulsions in England, a rise of 4.4 per cent from 2006-07, and there were 240 suspensions for "sexual misconduct" in primary schools.

The Conservatives said the figures showed there was "a serious problem" with discipline in state schools but ministers insisted discipline was improving, with fewer pupils expelled or suspended over the past 12 months.