Agenda item

Report of the Directors of Education

Pat Fielding, Director of Education, introduced his report on arrangements that have been implemented during 2015 for pupils that have been, or are at risk of being, permanently excluded and to advise Schools Forum of the associated financial implications. Pat highlighted the following:

(a)  due to an increased level of permanent exclusions across all key stages, revised arrangements have been required. These measures are an interim solution pending a larger scale rationilisation;

(b)  in the 2014/15 academic year five key stage one (KS1) pupils have been permanently excluded, compared to one in 2013/14. Emergency temporary accommodation for these pupils has been set up at Glenbrook Management Centre, supported and staffed by the Behaviour Support Team;

(c)  the Ofsted inspection of Denewood Learning Centre in December 2014 identified significant concerns about the provision for pupils in Key Stage 2 (KS2), due in part to the physical capacity of the building to accommodate the increasing numbers. As a result, 6 pupils continue their education at Denewood, 4 pupils have been moved to Woodlands School and 12 pupils have been moved to Westbury School. This has resulted in higher attendance, improved behaviour and improved teaching and learning;

(d)  Denewood Learning Centre was temporarily closed following its Ofsted inspection with key stage 3 (KS3) pupils moving to alternate providers. As of September 2015 it has reopened, education 56 pupils;

(e)  Bulwell Academy has worked with the council to pilot a localised Alternative Provision hub at the school, with a number of pupils moving from Denewood as of the summer half term 2015. The academy provides these students with a range of pathways depending on individual needs and circumstances;

(f)  strategic plans are underway with regard to the commissioning of an updated framework agreement for permanently excluded pupils at KS3 and key stage 4 (KS4) due to significantly increasing numbers at Unity Learning Centre;

(g)  in order to address these issues of increasing numbers of permanently excluded pupils, an Alternative Provision focus group was established consisting of head teachers/principles of primary, secondary and special schools, council officers and Nottingham City Secondary Education Partnership (NCSEP);

(h)  the focus group has commissioned the following:

·  a review of existing systems and structures relating to alternative provision/PRUs;

·  a review of the structure, range of services and systems operating in the provision of education for city pupils with Special Educational Needs (SEN), including special schools and focused provision;

·  a review of the impact of services/agencies that work with schools and academies from KS1 – KS4 to improve pupil behaviour and engagement, and to prevent placement breakdowns;

these reports have now been completed and will be presented to school head teachers in October.

RESOLVED to

(1)  note the revised alternative provision arrangements that have been put into place during 2015;

(2)  note that the additional costs of alternative provision for the 2015/16 financial year compared to the amount budgeted, currently estimated at between £1.198 million and £1.655 million as detailed below:

(3)  note the approach that is being taken to determine the future alternative provision strategy for the city and that Schools Forum will be consulted on the proposed arrangements in due course.