Shake-up for East Lancashire's pupil referral units to save money

Lancashire County Council has announced it will be closing and merging schools that teach long term sick children, pregnant teenagers, excluded pupils and those who are at risk of exclusion.

The changes will come in to force from September 1 to save just over £1million.

Cabinet member for children and schools, County Councillor Susie Charles, has approved the scheme.

Under the plans six medical pupil referral units, or short stay schools, including the Isaac Centre, Harrogate Crescent, Burnley, will shut and hubs at existing general pupil referral units will be created.

Medical short stay schools, of which there were 937 admissions from April 2011 to February, teach children with mental health needs and pregnant teenagers as well as sick pupils who have had more than three weeks off or are in hospital with chronic conditions.

Key stage three children aged 11 to 14 at pupil referral units because they have been excluded and are at risk of exclusion will be taught at key stage four centres for GCSE students following a merger in September.

Further details will be released in the future.

The changes will save a headteacher’s salary, reduce building costs and pool business and HR costs after the budget was reduced to £10,776, 643 for this financial year from £11,873,241 last year.

The report said: “Currently, provision is in various premises – mobile units on the grounds of a school, rooms made available in mainstream primary schools and an ex primary school building.

“To provide these vulnerable pupils to a full and rich curriculum, it is proposed that 'hubs' are developed on or close to the site of existing secondary short stay schools, where subject specific rooms and vocational opportunities are available.

“Staff from the medical short stay schools will combine their expertise with the short stay schools staff and, from the 'hubs', mainstream schools will be able to access provision as required."