Agenda item

Report ED14023

The Committee considered a report outlining developments within the Behaviour Service and Bromley Pupil Referral Unit.

In September 2013, an Interim Executive Board was established to replace the management committee of the Bromley Pupil Referral Unit, after a number of concerns were identified following a review of the provision.  In December 2013, the Secretary of State for Education granted an academy order for the Bromley Pupil Referral Unit to become an alternative provision academy under the sponsorship of Bromley College of Further and Higher Education.  Due diligence processes were now underway, and it was expected that the Bromley Alternative Provision Academy would open in September 2014. 

The Respite Service offered a preventative function that worked with young people identified as having difficulty in managing their behaviour within mainstream school, and was judged by schools that commissioned places as being an effective service.  The Behaviour Service offered a range of services comprising the Home and Hospital Tuition Service, which was included in the bundle of services currently being market tested, the Primary Behaviour Service and a management and administrative function.  It was proposed to assimilate the Respite and Behaviour Services into the Bromley Alternative Provision Academy, which would become a hub for behaviour support services in Bromley to better support the full continuum of behaviour needs at an earlier stage and support more young people to remain in a mainstream setting.  These proposals would affect a number of Local Authority staff and a consultation was currently being undertaken which would close on 11^th April 2014. 

In considering the report, the Chairman requested that a copy of the consultation document be provided to all Members of the Education PDS Committee.

In response to a question from a Member, the Interim Assistant Director: Education confirmed that it would be the responsibility of the Bromley Alternative Provision Academy to decide how behaviour services provision could best be delivered across the Borough in the future, which could include use of other Bromley College of Further and Higher Education sites and provision to ensure pupils were offered a personalised curriculum.  The means by which schools could refer pupils to the provision was currently being developed by Bromley College in partnership with the Local Authority and Fair Access Panel to ensure the right process was in place.

In response to a question from a Co-opted Member, the Interim Assistant Director: Education confirmed that Bromley College was working closely in partnership with the Local Authority around how the primary element of the Alternative Provision Academy should be delivered, and that consideration was being given as to how to pupils could best be supported back into mainstream education where appropriate.  Bromley College of Further and Higher Education was also working to expand its alternative provision offer for 14-16 year olds to ensure a wide range of opportunities were available to students with a range of needs.

Members were advised that there would be cost implications for recharges of approximately £133k to the Local Authority, should the functions of Respite and Primary Behaviour Support services be integrated with the proposed Bromley Alternative Provision Academy, as Dedicated School Grant would no longer be used to contribute to the overheads and support costs of delivering these services in-house.  The Chairman requested that a report detailing these cost implications be provided to a future meeting of the Education Budget Sub-Committee.

RESOLVED that:

1)  The Secretary of State for Education’s decision to grant an academy order for the Bromley Pupil Referral Unit to become an alternative provision academy sponsored by Bromley College of Further and Higher Education and to be known as Bromley Alternative Provision Academy be noted;

2)  Members’ comments on the proposal to close the Respite and Primary Behaviour Support services, integrating the functions into the Pupil Referral Service, be noted; and,

3)  The cost implications of this proposal be noted.