Agenda item

Officers will provide the Sub-Committee with an update on the reconfiguration of the Pupil Referral Unit. (Report to follow)

The Sub-Committee received a report outlining the reconfiguration of the former Pupil Referral Service.  It was noted that all local authorities had a statutory duty to provide alternative education for pupils who have been permanently excluded from school, or who could not attend school due to long term medical illness.  Until 1 September 2016, the provision for such pupils within the London Borough of Havering was via the Manor Green College, Havering Pupil Referral Services (PRS).  The College was composed of four elements, which dealt with 134 young people:

·         Primary provision (James Oglethorpe campus)

·         Green Vale Medical Needs Provision (based at the previous Birnam Wood site in Hornchurch)

·         Birnam Wood key stage 3 site (based at the previous Birnam Wood site in Hornchurch)

·         Manor Campus key stage 4 site (based at Albert Road, Romford)

In February 2015 Havering PRS was inspected and placed into Special Measures.  The OFSTED judgement meant that the PRS needed to either close or be converted to an Alternative Provision (AP) Academy.  The local authority had initiated discussions with the Department of Education (DfE) about potential academisation but subsequent to this inspection judgement, only one sponsor was identified by DfE, Olive Academies Trust.

Following complex negotiations and attempts to identify suitable premises for a new AP Academy provision, the Olive AP Academy Havering officially launched on 1 September 2016, based at the former Birnam Wood site in Hornchurch.  There were still challenges as the staff had remained but progress was already being seen. 

It was agreed that the Primary PRU was closed as it was not felt relevant for young children be institutionalised and that this could be effectively dealt with within the mainstream school.  The greatest number of exclusions was from Secondary schools, with persistent disruptive behaviour being the main reason.

It was noted that the Robert Beard PRU would be for Key Stage 4 (14-16 year olds) and Albert Road would be for Key Stage 3.  The Albert Road building would have an annex to assist with vulnerable young people.  Schools were supportive of the new PRU, and incentives were given to try to keep young people in mainstream education rather than to the PRU as this had a cost implication and a better outcome for the child.  It was noted that to educate a child in mainstream school would be £4,500 whereas through the PRS it would cost £19,000.

The Sub-Committee noted that there had been 39 permanent exclusions in the last year, and the service was looking to reduce this figure.

The Chairman informed the Sub-Committee that she had signed off the waiver over the summer so that the PRS could open in September, and that plans were in the pipeline for the developments.  Officers stated that it was anticipated that the new building would be open by September 2018, and tenders for the new buildings would be commencing soon.

Members asked why the PRU had been academised and why this could not be delivered internally.  Officers stated that the only alternative to academisation would be to seek to commission places from outside the Borough.  This would require all staff to be redeployed or offered redundancy and would lead to significantly increased costs, as costs of commissioning out of Borough placements, including transport, would be in excess of existing costs and would not necessary be in the best interests of the young people.  In addition, the closure of a failing PRS would mean significant reputational damage to the Borough.