Search your school: South Australian public primary and high school student suspensions, exclusions

As many as one in 10 students at some public schools are being sent home for poor behaviour. See where your school ranks.

Suspension rates at some of the state’s largest public schools have nosedived – but at many campuses teachers are still ejecting one in 10 students.

Analysis by The Advertiser has revealed the South Australian public schools where the most children have been suspended or excluded for poor behaviour, including physical violence, threats, verbal abuse and being disruptive.

The top seven schools are in Adelaide’s north and all have more than 1000 students.

However, six of the top 10 schools recorded reductions in the past year, of up to 25 per cent.

The highest suspension and exclusion rate was almost one in every 10 students.

There were almost 150 schools where not a single student was suspended or excluded this year.

Overall, the number ejected from classrooms across the state’s 500-odd public schools has fallen for the second year in a row, to 4593.

It follows a policy change which required teachers to take into account a student’s age and development before making a decision to send them home.

Education Minister Blair Boyer said the data, released following requests from The Advertiser, showed schools were “getting on top of behaviour and seeing longer term improvements”.

Mr Boyer said suspensions and exclusions were “an important tool available to schools to use when needed” but there was greater focus on “doing more to tackle the root causes” of problematic behaviour.

Education Minister Blair Boyer. Picture: Emma Brasier

Opposition education spokeswoman Heidi Girolamo. Picture: Ben Clark

He said the state government had committed $50m for a new tailored learning program for disengaged students and $20m on anti-violence measures, including training for teachers.

However, opposition education spokeswoman Heidi Girolamo said more action was needed to “restore respect, discipline and balance in our schools”.

She said the schools with “low or even no suspensions” proved that “strong behaviour and positive learning environments are achievable when expectations are clear and leadership is strong”.

Salisbury East High School students Jenna Yeatman, 17, Jackson Coaby, 18, Hollie Spencer, 17, Storm Asikainen, 18, and Jamison Billing, 18, with principal Sue Shepherd (centre). Picture: Keryn Stevens

At Salisbury East High School there were 44 suspensions this year, down from 78 last year.

Principal Sue Shepherd said there had been a 27 per cent drop in suspensions since 2022.

This had resulted from a focus on “building connection and belonging” for all 1050 kids on campus, she said.

Key initiatives include a “nurture class” for new year 7s who were disengaged leaving primary school, and offering more activities at break times.

Salisbury East High School students Jamison Billing, 18, Jackson Coaby, 18, Hollie Spencer, 17, Storm Asikainen, 18, and Jenna Yeatman, 17. Picture: Keryn Stevens

Year 12 student Jackson Coaby, 18, said a ban on mobile phones at school since mid-2023 had made a big difference and there was “better energy” in the schoolyard.

Jamison Billing, also 18, said teachers made a concerted effort to have better relationships with students.

“As a kid, if you’re getting treated with respect you’re more likely to be respectful,” he said.

The Education Department provided a snapshot of how many students were suspended or excluded in the 10 weeks of Term 2 of each year.

The total number of students sent home for poor behaviour hovered between about 3600 and 3800 each year in the decade to 2021, before peaking at 5587 in 2023.

Private schools do not make their data public.

Originally published as Search your school: South Australian public primary and high school student suspensions, exclusions