Methods for tackling exclusion in schools not working, says council

A SENIOR MEMBER of North Yorkshire County Council has conceded that the present methods for tackling exclusion are “not working”.

It comes as North Yorkshire County Council’s Executive agreed to accept a range of proposals which will help drive forward a more inclusive mainstream culture and revise the model of alternative provision across the county for pupils at risk of school exclusion.

Coun Patrick Mulligan, executive member for Education and Skills, said: “Our primary concern is to reduce school exclusions because evidence shows that children and young people who are permanently excluded suffer in terms of educational outcomes and life chances. Permanent exclusions have risen significantly, despite investment in the pupil referral service of over £4.7m each year. The present system is not working.”

However, although the Executive has agreed to the development of a more inclusive and flexible model of alternative provision for children and young people in a bid to stem permanent exclusions, it has accepted implementation of it be put back to September 2020 rather than the original timescale of 2019 following concern from parents.

The council will implement a reduction in discretionary funding to the pupil referral service by paying 50 per cent of current funding from April to September 2020.

The Executive also agreed permanently excluded student places in alternative provision be funded at the current £19,000 per place until September, then £18,000 rather than £17,000 as the original proposal. The Executive also agreed to change arrangements for young people post-16 with special educational needs to bring them in line with statutory guidance and to how top-up funding for children and young people with an education and health care plan is allocated.