Best schools must take on worst pupils

THE worst schools in the country will be able to off-load their most disruptive pupils onto the best under new rules announced today.

Children's Secretary Ed Balls said top state schools will be expected to take on pupils who have been permamently excluded elsewhere for bad behaviour.

The rules form part of Gordon Brown's drive to eradicate schools where fewer than 30 per cent of pupils score five good GCSEs including maths and English.

Currently all schools which take on excluded pupils mid-way through their exam year can have their GCSE grades removed from the school's overall results.

Mr Balls's plan allows schools where fewer than 20 per cent of pupils achieve five good GCSEs to refuse to take on the most disruptive teenagers mid year. There is no such exemption for the most academic state schools.