In 2013, there were 3,900 permanent exclusions from secondary schools in England. Boys are three times more likely to be excluded than girls, and pupils with special educational needs (SEN) account for 7 in 10 permanent exclusions. ‘Persistent disruptive behaviour’ is the most common reason for permanent exclusion.
Many of the young people who are excluded end up in Pupil Referral Units (PRUs). The Bridge Academy that features in the OU/BBC series Excluded: Kicked Out of School is one of these. With 90 students, it is the largest PRU in England. Every one of its students have been permanently excluded from mainstream schools.
The move to ‘alternative provision’ such as a PRU is not intended to be permanent – the intention is that, with support, some students can be integrated back into mainstream schools. In reality, though, many children and young people will remain in PRUs for significant parts of their school lives. A key concern that has been raised about PRUs is that a large number of pupils that attend them leave without achieving meaningful qualifications.
The following debates are drawn from issues raised in the series.
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He was sent to a PRU where he was seen by the ED Psyc, however no one really knew him, he was diagnosed with Social Emotional Behavioural Difficulties. After a year he was reintergrated back into mainstream school, a very small scool in a bad area as it was the only one that would take him the others were worried he would affect their SATS. This was only a first school and he joined them at the beginning of year 2. He changed schools successfully at the start of year 3. It was very tough for him, the other children already had firm friendships, some of the parents were very wary of the 'bad' boy. We had lots of testing times, he had half day exclusions and at the end of the year whilst trying to keep him in a room he pushed a teacher and she hurt her shoulder, he got a two day exclusion, which started at the beginning of the next school year! However the school really tried hard to understand my son, they worked with us to come up with solutions for him. By the end of year 6 he finished with high level 5 in his SATS and very little behaviour difficulties, if there were difficulties they managed them well. We are now in the first year at secondary school, we thought we had chosen wisely, we planned a good intergration, spoke in detail with the head of SEN, however this was not passed on to his teachers. We only got a risk reduction plan when I asked for one after a teacher said to him that he had 'mental health issues' apparently she did not know he had a statement so despite us complaining she got off with it. He has a two week timetable, three 90 - 100 minute lessons. Some many different teachers, that don't read his statement or his risk reduction plan. Since Christmas I have had phone calls or emails everyweek about his poor behaviour, confrontation etc, still we have little support, no real diagnosis. The only help he has had is from a physio friend who has helped him mangae his anger through looking at his sensory needs. He is very bright but struggles in classes with 30 or more children. He had been in two fights one with a year 10, and the other one ended up with him being kicked to the ground by 4 boys he doesn't start them but he will finish them. I can see this going downhill very fast, school say that he is bright and articulate and is doing ok......this is the SEN team who seem to understand him but the information is not reaching the teachers that deal with him every day, they make inappropriate comments to him which sets him off. School are assessing him for ASC and SPD but he doesn't tick all the boxes for one thing but lots of boxes in some areas. Where do we go for help, before he gets excluded again.
I watched this programme in tears, I could see where some of these children's problems come from, loss of parents/siblings/family members, difficult familiy lives etc but we have non of that in our family, My husband and I have been married for 28 years, have three children, both work and try very hard with him. We take interest in his life, we are at football training twice a week and games every saturday, he has a good relationship with us all, however he still gets very anxious, angry and frustrated. WE love him very much but not some of his behaviours. We just want to help him.