Summary
Around 135,000 pupils a year - mostly of secondary age - spend some time in alternative provision. Roughly one third are placed in pupil referral units, with the remainder in a range of places including further education and the private and voluntary sectors. About half the children are excluded for bad or disruptive behaviour - the rest are in alternative provision for a variety of reasons.
This White Paper, 'Back on Track - A Strategy for Modernising Alternative Provision for Young People' (Cm. 7410), outlines proposals to improve the quality of alternative provision for young people who are permanently excluded from school or are otherwise without a school place.
The key statistics regarding alternative provision for young people include:
- It costs around £4,000 a year to educate a pupil in a mainstream school but about £15,000 a year for full-time placement in a pupil referral unit.
- In 2006, only 1% of 15 year olds in pupil referral units achieved 5 GCSEs at grades A*-C or equivalent; 11.3% achieved 5 or more grades A*-G; and 82.1% achieved 1 or more qualification.
- In 2006/07, Ofsted judged 56% of pupil referral units to be 'good or outstanding', with 10% of those inspected deemed to be 'inadequate'.
- 75% of pupils in pupil referral units have special educational needs.
- 91% of pupils in pupil referral units are aged 11-15.
- 69% of pupils in pupil referral units are boys.
This strategy is based on seven core principles:
- Starting with what works best for each person, taking account of needs and in consultation with parents and carers.
- Securing a core educational entitlement for young people.
- Better planning and commissioning of alternative provision.
- Local authorities should be held accountable for outcomes.
- Better professional support, accommodation, and facilities.
- Partnership working between alternative provision, other parts of the education sector, and other agencies.
- Learning from best practice and supporting innovation.
One of the central aims of this strategy is for schools to be able to get pupils back on track and make more use of high quality alternative provisions as an early intervention for their pupils who are at risk of permanent exclusion. The term 'Pupil Referral Unit' is considered outdated and unhelpful and will be changed in the legislation.
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Law-Making Explained
This is a Command Paper (Cm. 7410, 2007-08). It is a White Paper from the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF).
Find out more about Command Papers.