A record number of 4,590 pupils were excluded from schools for racist bullying last year, analysts have found.

The figure has prompted urgent calls for government intervention to tackle prejudice and racism in classrooms across the UK.

The number was up from 4,085 in 2017 - meaning more than 500 more children were excluded from schools this year.

This year's figure was up from 4,085 in 2017 - meaning around 500 more children were excluded from schools (file photo)

This is the highest leap in a decade, following a relatively stable period from 2008 - 2009, when the figure remained around 3,950.

The number of exclusions for racial abuse is, therefore, rising at a much faster rate than student population growth, the Guardian found.

There have now been calls for the Department for Education and Ofsted to intervene from teachers, charities and MPs.

But experts believe the surge in racist incidents is down to a growing number of hate crimes in society - with some also alleging the decision to remove a duty on schools to monitor incidents of racist bullying may have had an impact.

Others believe the spike could be due to a zero-tolerance approach to racism in schools.

Chris Keates, the general secretary of the National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Woman Teachers, said: '[Our] own research shows that overt and covert instances of racism are a daily fact of life for far too many black and minority ethnic pupils and teachers.'

This is the highest leap in a decade, following a relatively stable period from 2008 - 2009, when the figure remained around 3,950 (file photo)

But Labour MP David Lammy said the figures may reflect the Conservative government's own attitude towards migrants.

He said: 'The government’s hostile environment is driving migrants to overdoses, suicide attempts, fainting and chest pain… We need to radically reform our immigration system in a way that is just and humane.'

This new data is similar to that recently gathered by Childline, which details how children as young as nine are contacting the service because they are being bullied about their race or religion.

It was also recently revealed that the number of racist incidents in schools has risen dramatically from 2,702 in 2014 to 3,660 in 2017.

Until recently, British schools had a duty to monitor racist bullying but this obligation was removed under the coalition government.

Anti-racism charity the Runnymede Trust said this did nothing more than 'bury the problem' of racist-fuelled bullying in schools.

Zubaida Haque, the deputy director at the trust said: 'Teachers have told the Runnymede Trust that they do not feel equipped to address the growing prejudice and racism in schools, which by the way is also directed at them. Schools need to be discussing issues about racism, intolerance, identity, migration and our colonial history more openly and urgently.

'Children should not feel isolated.'

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