by Ruth Banks

Shocking figures have revealed pupils as young as 11 have been expelled from Kent schools for sexual misconduct.

Statistics obtained by KentOnline through the Freedom of Information Act show an 81 per cent increase of all sexual misconduct cases over the last five years.

Cases have gone from 63 in the 2004/2005 academic year to 114 in 2008/2009.

Even some primary students have been expelled - in a category which includes sexual abuse, sexual assault, sexual harassment, lewd behaviour, sexual bullying and sexual graffiti.

Robert Stracker, secretary for the National Association of Headteachers in Kent, said the increasing sexualisation of children is causing concern to the county’s teachers.

He told KentOnline: "Every time you turn up to a child’s disco, even in primary schools, they’re turning up with make-up and crop tops.

"We have to bear in mind that we are talking about a very tiny minority of students being excluded.

"But nonetheless, when you are confronted on your computer screen and on the television with sexual pictures and aggressive behaviour, people will ape what they see."

Chris Berry, acting head of the Kent Attendance and Behaviour Service, said there had been a decrease in the number of exclusions for sexual misconduct over the last year.

He added: "We would certainly not be complacent about this but we are aware from our own monitoring, that schools sometimes choose this particular category as an option for what is in fact inappropriate comments made either pupil to pupil, or pupil to adult."