Agenda Item No.

 

THE VALE OF GLAMORGAN COUNCIL

 

CABINET MEETING: 20TH JUNE 2007

 

REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR OF LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT

 

PROPOSAL TO EXTEND THE PUPIL REFERRAL UNIT (PRU)

 

Purpose of Report

 

1.         To seek Cabinet approval to extend the Pupil Referral Unit from September 2007 and to transfer an element of the Revenue Budget to Capital for one year only.

 

Background

 

2.         The Council’s Pupil Referral Unit (PRU) for pupils at Key Stage 3 was established in 1997 at the Amelia Trust. The PRU is directly managed by the Pupil Support Service with the support of a Management Committee.

 

3.         At Key Stage 4 pupils who require a curriculum and provision which is alternative to the National Curriculum in schools have attended an Alternative Curriculum programme, based either with:-

 

·      individual Training Providers

·      the Youth Access provision developed by the Amelia Trust

·      the Youth Access Programme developed by the Youth Service at          Llantwit Youth Centre or Penarth Information Shop / Byrd Crescent       Community Centre.

 

4.         The Youth Access Alternative Curriculum programme is part-funded by the Pupil Support Service revenue budget and part by Cymorth as meeting the criteria for making additional provision, services and support for young people who are disaffected and disengaged from mainstream services, or at risk of becoming so.

 

5.            Funding is paid to the Amelia Trust and to the Youth Service for management, staffing, use of facilities and programmes through a Service Level Agreement.

 

6.            Gladstone College / Partnership for Young Parents (provision for pregnant school girls and teenage mothers) was registered as a PRU, however, was de-registered during the last academic year on account of there being no school age girls requiring attendance.

Relevant Issues and Options

 

           

7.         The Council does not maintain a special school for pupils with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties, therefore the PRU at Key Stage 3 and the Youth Access provision at Key Stage 4 caters for the young people in the Vale with the highest and often most challenging needs in terms of behaviour, who, in other Local Authorities, may attend special schools.

 

8.         Whilst the PRU is a registered provision and comes within the Estyn Inspection framework, the Youth Access provision at Key Stage 4 does not; however it is subject to inspection through the Young People’s Partnership as it receives Cymorth funding.

 

9.         There has been uncertainty within Wales as to whether all provision made ‘Otherwise Than at School’ should be registered as PRUs, particularly if they are not maintained by the Local Authority.  The Welsh Assembly Government has recently carried out a survey of Education Otherwise than at School (EOTAS), which included the provision made by the Amelia Trust and the Youth Service.

 

10.       The conclusion of the Welsh Assembly Government is that the Youth Access Training Provision made by the Amelia Trust and the Youth Service should be registered as a PRU.

 

11.       The proposal is therefore to establish 3 PRUs through:

 

o       extending the current KS3 PRU to include the Key Stage 4 provision at the Amelia Trust.

o       Establishing satellite units at Llantwit Youth Centre and Penarth Information Shop / Byrd Crescent and register as a PRU

o       re-registering Gladstone College as a PRU as 4 pre 16 pupils now attend.

 

12.       The current PRU Management Committee membership to be extended to cover its management arrangements across all 3 PRUs.

 

Resource Implications (Financial and Employment)

 

13.       There will be no increase in budget requirements; funding will continue to be made available through the current revenue budget and Cymorth – as additional provision, services and support will continue to be made available for young people, in accordance with the Cymorth criteria.

 

14.       The Service Level Agreements made with the Amelia Trust and the Youth Service to cease at the end of August 2007.

15.       The Pupil Support Service will employ staff to teach the Key Stage 4 young people at the PRU based at the Amelia Trust and fund the use of  the facilities and resources at the Amelia Trust with its Revenue Budget and Cymorth funding.  The Pupil Support Service will continue to fund the Youth Service for the PRU at Llantwit and Penarth Information Shop / Byrd Crescent – with its Revenue Budget and Cymorth funding.

16.            Funding for Gladstone College will be made from contributions from Cymorth, Flying Start,  14-19 programme and the AWPU (Age Weighted Pupil Unit) allocated to schools for the individual girls.

 

17.       An additional classroom is required at the Amelia Trust, to be adjacent to the existing PRU classrooms in order to make appropriate accommodation for the new class.  Costs for the new classroom are £39K.

 

18.       Due to net savings on staff changes it has been possible in this financial year only to identify £39K in the Pupil Support Service revenue budget which could be used to fund the new classroom.  This has arisen from a saving in the base budget for a specialist teacher from the Primary Behaviour Improvement Team which has been funded this year from BSF (Better Schools Fund). This will be a one-off transfer, as the sum will be required in 2008-09 for staffing.

 

19.            Continuing the Youth Access provision in its current format is no longer an option.  The young people requiring this provision are not able to attend mainstream school.  There is no special school for pupils with EBD, therefore the only option is for the Pupil Support Service to seek a place in an out of county school.  Cardiff and Bridgend both have special schools for EBD, however, there are no vacancies at either school, therefore placements within the independent sector would need to be sought, at costs ranging from £50 – 200K + per place, compared to £7K per place at the PRU.  The proposal is to fund building of a classroom for one year which would be a more efficient use of resources.

 

20.            Registering all provisions as a PRU will ensure that the Council receives the appropriate funding for young people who previously were not registered as being on the roll of a school.

 

Legal Implications (to include Human Rights Implications)

 

21.            Bringing all current Youth Access provision under the registration of a PRU, bringing them  within the Estyn framework complies within the new guidance ‘Inclusion and Pupil Support 47/2006’ and complies with Section 19 of the Education Act 1996 to arrange suitable education for young people outside mainstream school.

 

Crime and Disorder Implications

 

22.            Making full time appropriate provision for young people with EBD will help to reduce crime and disorder amongst young people in the Vale.

 

Equal Opportunities Implications (to include Welsh Language Issues)

 

23.       The provision will ensure that disaffected and disengaged young people have the appropriate education and training to meet their needs and that they have their full entitlement to education.

 

Corporate/Service Objectives

 

24.       The proposals help to meet the Council’s priority of lifelong leaning, through ensuring full time education for vulnerable young people and given them an opportunity to encourage their educational achievement.

 

Policy Framework and Budget

 

25.       These proposals are within the Policy Framework and budget.

 

Consultation (Including Ward Member Consultation)

 

26.       The Director of Learning and Development, Interim Director of Social Services, Children and Young People’s Framework Partnership have been consulted on this proposal.

 

Appropriate Scrutiny Committee

 

27.            Lifelong Learning.

 

RECOMMENDATIONS

 

1.         That Cabinet approves extension of the current PRU to include the Youth Access programme at the Amelia Trust and the Youth Service.

 

2.         That Cabinet agrees to transfer £39K from the PSS Revenue Budget to Capital for one year only to build a classroom at the Amelia Trust Farm.  If this is agreed the Amelia Trust will submit an appropriate planning application to the Council.

 

Reasons for recommendations

 

1.         To comply with Welsh Assembly Government Guidelines.

 

2.         To enable the PRU to extend its work at the Amelia Trust.

 

Background Papers

 

Education Act 1996.

Inclusion and Pupil Support 47/2006.

Letter from WAG dated 06 02 07.

 

Contact Officer -

Sheila Kelly

Head of Inclusion and Access

01446 709136

 

Officers Consulted -

Bryan Jeffreys, Director of Learning and Development

Mark Wheeler, Interim Director of Social Services

Children and young People’s Framework Partnership

 

 

BRYAN JEFFREYS

DIRECTOR OF LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT