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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
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| Firms may educate excluded pupils | Firms may educate excluded pupils |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Private companies and charities could be asked to educate pupils who have been excluded from schools in England. | Private companies and charities could be asked to educate pupils who have been excluded from schools in England. |
| The proposal is expected to be included in an overhaul of schooling for disruptive youngsters to be announced by the Schools Secretary, Ed Balls. | The proposal is expected to be included in an overhaul of schooling for disruptive youngsters to be announced by the Schools Secretary, Ed Balls. |
| A government White Paper will focus on improving education standards for pupils removed from mainstream classes. | A government White Paper will focus on improving education standards for pupils removed from mainstream classes. |
| The education in pupil referral units, where just 1% of pupils gain five good GCSEs, will be more closely monitored. | The education in pupil referral units, where just 1% of pupils gain five good GCSEs, will be more closely monitored. |
| About 70,000 pupils are taught in pupil referral units and other alternative services at any one time. | About 70,000 pupils are taught in pupil referral units and other alternative services at any one time. |
| Scrutiny | Scrutiny |
| The government wants to improve the quality of education for these pupils - both through early intervention and greater scrutiny of how referral units are performing. | The government wants to improve the quality of education for these pupils - both through early intervention and greater scrutiny of how referral units are performing. |
| There is also expected to be an opening up of the services for disruptive and excluded pupils - with charities, private firms and community groups invited to offer alternatives. | There is also expected to be an opening up of the services for disruptive and excluded pupils - with charities, private firms and community groups invited to offer alternatives. |
| Let's concentrate on the quality rather than what sort of organisation it is John DunfordAssociation of School and College Leaders Technology, in terms of "virtual classrooms", could also offer another way of sustaining lessons for a group of difficult youngsters who were no longer in their own classrooms. | Let's concentrate on the quality rather than what sort of organisation it is John DunfordAssociation of School and College Leaders Technology, in terms of "virtual classrooms", could also offer another way of sustaining lessons for a group of difficult youngsters who were no longer in their own classrooms. |
| For the first time, detailed data would be published on the performance of students, mostly in the 11 to 15 age group, who were taught in such units. This might include attendance and exam achievement. | For the first time, detailed data would be published on the performance of students, mostly in the 11 to 15 age group, who were taught in such units. This might include attendance and exam achievement. |
| It has also been suggested that there will be a more clearly defined curriculum for such pupils, ensuring that they are taught the basic skills needed when they leave school. | It has also been suggested that there will be a more clearly defined curriculum for such pupils, ensuring that they are taught the basic skills needed when they leave school. |
| Speaking at a teachers' conference in March, Mr Balls said he was determined to improve the quality of pupil referral units and to offer alternatives, including vocational centres. | Speaking at a teachers' conference in March, Mr Balls said he was determined to improve the quality of pupil referral units and to offer alternatives, including vocational centres. |
| An Ofsted report published last autumn had found a range of difficulties with pupil referral units. | An Ofsted report published last autumn had found a range of difficulties with pupil referral units. |
| "These include inadequate accommodation, pupils of different ages with diverse needs arriving in an unplanned way, limited numbers of specialist staff and difficulties in reintegrating pupils into mainstream schools." | "These include inadequate accommodation, pupils of different ages with diverse needs arriving in an unplanned way, limited numbers of specialist staff and difficulties in reintegrating pupils into mainstream schools." |
| Ofsted inspectors had found that one in eight referral units were inadequate. | Ofsted inspectors had found that one in eight referral units were inadequate. |
| Conservative leader David Cameron has previously called for a wider use of the voluntary sector with such disruptive youngsters - arguing that referral units were expensive and ineffective. | Conservative leader David Cameron has previously called for a wider use of the voluntary sector with such disruptive youngsters - arguing that referral units were expensive and ineffective. |
| 'Quality provision' | 'Quality provision' |
| But Jerry Glazier from the National Union of Teachers, who teaches at a pupil referral unit in Essex, said the union was opposed to the growing trend of involving private companies in education. | But Jerry Glazier from the National Union of Teachers, who teaches at a pupil referral unit in Essex, said the union was opposed to the growing trend of involving private companies in education. |
| "We think it's absolutely crucial that local authorities work with their own resources, with schools, to provide the best quality provision and I'm unconvinced that a private provider will be able to do that effectively. | "We think it's absolutely crucial that local authorities work with their own resources, with schools, to provide the best quality provision and I'm unconvinced that a private provider will be able to do that effectively. |
| "There are some excellent pupils referral units across the country - those need to be extended, that provision needs to be strengthened, local authorities and government need to commit themselves to more resources, and then I think we will see stepped improvements." | "There are some excellent pupils referral units across the country - those need to be extended, that provision needs to be strengthened, local authorities and government need to commit themselves to more resources, and then I think we will see stepped improvements." |
| However, the general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders said it was irrelevant whether the referral centres were run by the public or private sector as quality was the key consideration. | However, the general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders said it was irrelevant whether the referral centres were run by the public or private sector as quality was the key consideration. |
| "What we want is high-quality provision and I don't think there should be any presupposition that either the public sector or the private sector is the only place in which that high-quality provision can be provided," said John Dunford. | "What we want is high-quality provision and I don't think there should be any presupposition that either the public sector or the private sector is the only place in which that high-quality provision can be provided," said John Dunford. |
| But he said permanent exclusion should not be the only way for young people to access alternative provision. | |
| "The goal should be earlier intervention for those in danger of exclusion, with PRUs working with the local school behaviour partnerships to devise family support and educational strategies that match the young person's needs. | |
| "The best chance in life for at risk young people is to gain academic or vocational qualifications to open up job and training opportunities." |