The exclusion targets were introduced four years ago

Peter Peacock made the announcement as he unveiled new guidelines to deal with disruptive behaviour in schools.

He said any decisions to suspend or expel pupils should also take the rights of staff and other pupils into account.

Earlier this year the minister announced he was scrapping controversial targets aimed at reducing the number of exclusions in Scottish schools.

Feeling pressured

The targets were introduced in September 1999 when ministers said they wanted to see a 33% reduction in the number of days lost each year because of exlusions.

But head teachers complained of feeling pressurised into reducing the number of exclusions in order to meet that target.

In his reply to a question in the Scottish Parliament in June this year, Mr Peacock said the target had been "helpful" in setting a direction.

It had also stimulated the development of alternatives to exclusion, he said.

However, he also ordered officials to rewrite guidelines in a way that emphasised the right of teachers and children to work unhindered by disruptive youngsters.

Mr Peacock's ludicrous exclusions policy has caused a 700% increase in assaults on school staff. Lord James Douglas- Hamilton Tory education spokesman

He said the executive was committed to supporting teachers and to taking "a firm approach" to discipline.

Announcing the new guidance, Mr Peacock said it made clear that decisions to exclude must be made on a case-by-case basis, taking account of the best interests of all involved - including staff and other pupils.

He said: "This highlights our determination to protect the rights of pupils to learn undisturbed and teachers to teach undisturbed and prevent a small minority causing continual problems for the hard working majority."

The minister also said he wanted to see a more proactive approach to ensure that classroom bullies understood the impact of their actions.

'Humiliating U-turn'

For that reason, the guidance supported the principle of "restorative intervention and mediation" to address disruptive behaviour and help pupils learn how to behave and move on from their bad behaviour, he said.

Tory education spokesman Lord James Douglas-Hamilton said the executive had performed "an utterly humiliating U-turn" on school exclusions.

He added: "Mr Peacock's ludicrous exclusions policy has caused a 700% increase in assaults on school staff and a member of staff is now assaulted in a Scottish school every 15 minutes.

"Conservatives have consistently campaigned against this politically correct nonsense and the government has finally buckled under the pressure of yet another massive failure in their education policy."

Education ministers in England went through a similar process of introducing then scrapping a controversial target of cutting exclusions by a third.