HERTFORDSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL

EDUCATION CABINET PANEL

wednesday 15 april 2009 AT 10.00AM

AN UPDATE ON THE IMPLEMENTATION AND PROGRESS OF THE KEY STAGE 4 LEARNING CENTRES

Report of the Director of Children, Schools and Families

[Authors: David Ring, Head of Access to Education

Tel: 01442 453012

Tony Mackin, Lead Officer for Education Support Centres & Behaviour Support

Tel: 01992 558671

Executive Member: Keith Emsall (Education and Culture)

  1. Purpose of report

1.1The purpose of this report is to provide the Panel with information on the implementation of the Key Stage 4 Learning Centres programme, with a particular focus on the achievements of the 3 centres that were opened in September 2007 during phase 1 of the project.

1.2The report also provides information relating to the reasons that children are permanently excluded from school, and progress in reducing the numbers of excluded children.

  1. Summary

2.1The Key Stage 4 Learning Centre (KS4LC) programme has now been fully implemented, with all 6 centres operational and currently providing high quality educational programmes for a total of 353 young people who are unable to complete their statutory education in a school setting.

2.2The KS4LCs are aligned to the 14-19 Strategic Area Partnership Groups. They are constituted as part of the existing Education Support Centres, with the management and governance arrangements achieved through the ESC Headteachers and ESC management committees.

2.3Students attending the KS4LCs receive their entitlement to full-time education through 3 core strands of their learner entitlement:

  • curriculum and learning provision
  • information, advice and guidance
  • personal development and support

2.4The success of the KS4LC provision will be monitored on:

  • Improvement in student attendance and punctuality
  • Levels of accreditation achieved by the students
  • The numbers of students continuing in education post-16
  • Reductions in the numbers of young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEET)

An initial analysis of the data indicates that the KS4LCs are achieving considerable success in relation to the above criteria.

2.5The KS4LC provision has contributed considerably to a significant reduction in the number of permanent exclusions and fixed-period exclusions of more than 5 days from secondary schools, as well as to a significant improvement in the percentage of permanently excluded pupils who have access to full-time education.

2.6The high quality of provision offered by the KS4LCs has been acknowledged externally through the Ofsted inspections of four of the ESCs (the other two ESCs have not had an inspection since their KS4LC were opened). Two of the ESCs were judged to be outstanding in their overall effectiveness, while the other two were judged to be good.

3.Recommendations

3.1It is recommended that the Panel notes the successful implementation of the Key Stage 4 Learning Centre programme and the positive impact it is having in engaging over 350 young people for whom full-time continuation in a school setting has become unsustainable.

3.2It is further recommended that the Panel notes the excellent work of the ESC Headteachers, their Senior Leadership Teams and their staff in ensuring the successful operations of the Key Stage 4 Learning Centres.

4.Background

4.1The programme to establish the 6 Key Stage 4 Learning Centres (KS4LCs) began following discussions with the Hertfordshire Association of Secondary Schools Headteachers (HASSH) in 2005. 3 centres were opened at the end of the first phase in September 2007 and the remaining 3 centres were opened at the end of the second phase in September 2008.

4.2It was intended that the development of the KS4LCs would significantly enhance the provision available for students who are unable to complete their statutory education in a school environment. The development of the centres has also played a key role in achieving a significant reduction in the number of permanent exclusions from secondary schools as well asa significant improvement in the Local Authority’s performance in relation to the provision of appropriate full-time education for children who are permanently excluded from school.

4.3 The key role of theKS4LC is to provide alternative provision for permanently excluded pupils and for those who are at risk of exclusion. The centres have been developed by bringing together aspects of the Youth Programmes Unit (YPU) provision with the Education Support Centres (ESCs).

4.4Role of the Key Stage 4 Learning Centres

4.4.1The KS4LCs manage, co-ordinate and provide tailored 14-16 learner entitlements for young people for whom full-time continuation in a school setting at Key Stage 4 has become unsustainable. The centres contribute to ensuring that, as the new 14-19 entitlement curriculum for all young people is implemented, there is sufficient provision at local level to meet the needs of all 14-19 year-old students.

4.5Structure and organisation

4.5.1The six KS4LCs are aligned with the 14-19 Strategy and the Strategic Area Partnership Groups (SAPGs). The SAPGs help to consider how the centres co-ordinate with other local provision and it is intended that they will be involved in their continued review and development, as appropriate.

4.5.2The KS4LCs were developed with reference to local planning groups from each of the 14-19 SAPG areas. The planning groups had representation from the localsecondary school Headteachers, FE Colleges, Education Support Centres (ESCs) and the Youth Programmes Unit (YPU). This approach promoted local flexibility appropriate to local circumstance and need, whilst access and equity across the county was ensured through the development of a county framework and a CSF project board.

4.5.3The KS4LCs are constituted as part of the existing ESCs, which are registered with the DCSF as Pupil Referral Units (PRUs). The six ESCs which have KS4LCs are now known as Extended ESCs. Two of these Extended ESCs (North Herts and LeaValley) also make the KS4 centre provision across the area of the non-extended ESCs in their SAPG areas (Stevenage and Longmore respectively). In those two SAPGs, Stevenage and Longmore make the on-site KS3 provision across the whole area.

Details of the areas support by each KS4LC are shown below

Key Stage 4 Learning Centre / Areas supported / Opened
North Herts / North Herts District Council
Stevenage District Council / Sept 2007
Dacorum / Dacorum Borough Council / Sept 2007
The Park / Welwyn Hatfield District council
Part of Hertsmere Borough Council (Borehamwood and Potters Bar) / Sept 2007
The Links / St Albans District Council / Sept 2008
Chessbrook / Watford Borough Council
Three Rivers District Council
Part of Hertsmere Borough Council (Bushey) / Sept 2008
LeaValley / Broxbourne Borough Council
East Herts District Council / Sept 2008

4.5.4Management committees and governance arrangements have been developed as part of those for the existing ESCs. New governance procedures for all 8 ESCs were implemented during the 2007-08 academic year in consultation with the existing ESC management committees. These management and governance arrangements have consistently been judged as very effective by Ofsted through their inspections of the ESCs.

4.6Student Group: numbers, type and admissions

4.6.1Each KS4LC is funded to provide up to 40 full-time-equivalent places. There is scope for local variation in having a higher actual number of students supported by individual centres if this can be managed within the available budget and the capacity of the centre’s accommodation. In some areas local schools support the scope for higher numbers by funding or part-funding some placements.

4.6.2Permanently excluded young people with no school place are given first priority, including some students with statements for EBD where the nature of their special educational needs does not make it an inappropriate placement, e.g. significant learning difficulties or extreme violence. Other groups of students considered for a placement include:

  • children looked after who do not have a school place or who are at serious risk of permanent exclusion
  • pupils at serious risk of permanent exclusion from mainstream schools

Pupils at risk of exclusion can be placed in KS4LCs on a dual registration basis.

4.6.3Admission criteria for KS4LCs are applied consistently in managing placements at all six centres. Initial criteria and referral routes are described in a county admissions guidance note, based on previous ESC and YPU admission criteria (attached as Appendix 1). These initial criteria will be updated in due course as part of the ongoing work by the Local Authority to ensure alignment of all its preventative behaviour support services.

4.7Curriculum

4.7.1Each KS4LC has developed its own curriculum model within the county framework in order to deliver the learner entitlement framework locally.

4.7.2KS4LCs ensure access to a full 25-hour programme offer, including tuition in core elements of the National Curriculum and opportunities to undertake vocational education and work-related learning. This is being achieved through:

  • KS4LCs providing a venue for basic skills and some vocational training while operating as a hub/facilitator/commissioner to support pupils’ access to a range of provision locally
  • developing pupil access to a range of vocational provision through the 14-19 Strategy in schools, colleges and through other providers
  • varying the location and balance of each individual programme according to individual need and local circumstances but managed, co-ordinated and quality assured by the KS4LC

GCSEs, ASDAN, vocational qualifications and other appropriate

accreditation are offered to students as appropriate.

4.8Staffing

4.8.1The KS4LCs are led and managed by the Headteacher of the Extended ESC, supported by a KS4 programme manager and a curriculum manager. These are the only posts specified by the Local Authority. Youth workers from the former YPU teams have been slotted into posts in their local

Extended ESC. The rest of the staffing in each centre is determined locally according to the curriculum and organisational model developed, and within available budget.

4.9Funding

4.9.1 KS4LCs receive a lump sum of funding within the overall Extended ESC budget share. The full-year revenue cost for each KS4LC is £632,000 (2008-09 prices). This is based on staffing to deliver a 25-hour programme for 40 full-time students per centre, together with other operating costs, such as purchasing local vocational provision, plus a contingency.

4.9.2A review of revenue funding in September 2008 revealed that the original KS4LC funding model was realistic and appropriate. It has, therefore, been decided to retain this lump sum element in the revised ESC funding formula from April 2009.

4.9.3Each KS4LC was established with an average of £750,000 capital funding. Three of the centres are currently located on temporary sitesand as little of the capital budget available as possible has been spent on adapting those sites. The balance of the capital budget has been retained to develop the permanent sites when they are known.

4.9.4A newly formed KS4LCs Premises Development Group will ensure co-ordination and liaison on establishing the permanent sites. Headteachers of the three centres and key senior local authority officers are members of the group, with other officers kept involved on issues such as ICT and finance.

4.10Anticipated outcomes

4.10.1 The County Framework for the KS4LCs states that ‘young people for whom continuation in full-time learning in a school setting has become unsustainable will receive their entitlement to 25 hours per week of educational provision. All young people attending KS4 Learning Centres will receive:

i)Their learner entitlement to the three core strands of:

  • curriculum and learning provision
  • information, advice and guidance
  • personal development and support

ii) Their entitlement, as described in Hertfordshire’s 14-19 Strategy, to access high-quality learning opportunities relevant to their personal talents, needs and aspirations, which will help them to realise their full potential

iii) Encouragement to continue developing their skills until the age of 19, so that a significant number will choose to continue learning post-16, or to secure employment.

4.10.2The success of the KS4LCs will be monitored on:

  • improvement in student attendance and punctuality
  • levels of accreditation achieved
  • numbers of students continuing in education post-16
  • Reductions in numbers of young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEET).

4.10.3Monitoring of quality throughout the Extended ESC provision by the Local Authority is based on OFSTED criteria. Extended ESCs are inspected by OFSTED as part of the national inspection process.’

5.Impact of the Key Stage 4 Learning Centres

5.1Contribution to reduction in permanent exclusions

5.1.1The data contained in Appendix 2 demonstrates a very significant reduction in the number of children who have beenpermanently excluded from secondary schools since the first 3 KS4LCs were opened in September 2007.

There was an 11% reduction in the number of permanent exclusions during the 2007/08 academic year and, if the number of exclusions continues at the current rate, there will be a further 45% reduction during 2008/09.

5.1.2The data also demonstrates a very significant reduction in the number of children who are excluded from secondary schools for fixed-period of more than 5 days.

There was 78% reduction in the number of fixed-period exclusions of more than 5 days during the 2007/08 academic year and, if the number of exclusions continues at the current rate, there will be a further 3% reduction during 2008/09.

5.2Contribution to improved access to full-time education for permanently excluded students

5.2.1The data contained in Appendix 3 demonstrates a very significant improvement in the percentage of permanently excluded pupils who have access to full-time education since the first 3 KS4LCs were opened in September 2007.

86% of the children on the Register of Permanently Excluded Pupils now have access to full-time education, compared with 71% in November 2007.

Taking into account the reduction in the number of permanently excluded pupils this means that there are now only 29 permanently excluded pupils who do not have access to full-time education compared to 66 in November 2007.

5.3Number of students supported

5.3.1During the 2007/08 academic year a total of 177 students attended the 3 phase 1 KS4LCs. 65% of these students were admitted following a permanent exclusion.

5.3.2Currently there are a total of 353 students on roll at the 6 KS4LCs. It is very encouraging to note that only 40% of these students were permanently excluded before they were admitted to a KS4LC. This reflects an increasing understanding with Headteachers in most areas of the county that provision can often be arranged and managed for challenging students without the need for them to be permanently excluded

5.3.3It is clear that, due to the development of flexible and creative local arrangements, the KS4LCs have been able to provide alternative educational programmes to a significantly higher number of students than the 240 initially envisaged.

5.4Student attendance levels

5.4.1Many of the young people admitted to the KS4LCs have a long history of disaffection from school, poor attendance and difficult behaviour. Although the average attendance level for the 3 phase 1 centres was approximately 73% it should be noted that the vast majority of the students remained actively engaged with their education throughout the year.

5.5Levels of accreditation

5.5.1All KS4LCs offer a wide range of accredited courses to their students, including GCSEs. During 2007/08 students in the 3 phase 1 KS4LCs achieved the following GCSE passes:

English29 students

Maths30 students

Statistics10 students

Science17 students

Child Development1 student

Art6 students

ICT6 students

Drama4 students

Music1 student

5.6Number of students continuing in education post-16

5.6.1Of the 177 students who attended the 3 phase 1 KS4LCs during 2007/08 47 continued in education post-16.

5.7Reduction in number of young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEET)

5.7.1Data regarding the number of children leaving the 3 phase 1 KS4LCs who are now not in education, employment or training was not available at the time of producing this report.

5.8Ofsted inspections

5.8.14 of the 6 ESCs that have a KS4LC have had an Ofsted inspection after the KS4LC became operational. 2 of these ESCs were judged by Ofsted to be outstanding in their overall effectiveness while the other 2 were judged to be good. All of the ESCs were commended for the quality of the provision they offer to their students and for their contributions to the objectives of reducing permanent exclusions and supporting vulnerable students.

5.8.2Comments from the reports of these Ofsted inspections include:

‘The impact of The Links’ work is enormous on reducing permanent exclusions, eliminating the risk of exclusion, returning excluded students to schools and supporting vulnerable students’ (Ofsted Inspection Report – The Links ESC – 13/14 January 2009)

‘Recent expansion, with the opening of a second site [the KS4LC], has enabled the centre to provide a curriculum matched exceptionally well to pupils’ differing needs, being either predominantly academic or vocational’ (Ofsted Inspection Report – North Herts ESC – December 2007)

5.9Reasons for Permanent Exclusions

5.9.1The DCSF guidance document 'Improving Behaviour and Attendance: guidance on exclusion from schools and Pupil Referral Units'(issued in September 2008) outlines the grounds on which a pupil may be permanently excluded by a Headteacher. An extract of the relevant paragraphs is attached as Appendix 4.

5.9.2Hertfordshire’s Exclusions Guidance (updated February 2009) strongly urges Headteachersto seek advice from the local Integration teams before any decision is taken to permanently exclude a pupil.

5.9.3Appendix B in the Exclusions Guidance provides advice for Headteachers on best practice relating to investigating incidents and behaviour where it may be appropriate to permanently exclude a child. Appendix C provides guidance on the consideration of mitigating and aggravating factors in assessing the seriousness of the situation.

5.9.4Where a Headteacher contacts the Integration Manager regarding a possible permanent exclusion the reasons for this are discussed and consideration given to whether permanent exclusion may be an appropriate response together with possible strategies that could be considered to avoid this course action if appropriate.

5.9.5Following a decision to permanently exclude a child the matter is considered by the school’s Governors Disciplinary Committee meeting. The role for the Local Authority at this meeting, which is set out in the DCSF guidance, is to draw governors attention to issues where there is a lack of clarity, where more information may be needed or where guidance appears to have been ignored. For instance the kinds of questions that would be asked for clarification could include:

  • confirmation of whether the exclusion was on the basis of a one off incident or persistent disruptive behaviour
  • clarification of the wording in the school's behaviour policy relating to permanent exclusion
  • clarification of whether permanent exclusion as a response is in accordance with the published school's policy
  • clarification of how the policy is disseminated to staff and pupils
  • clarification of whether DCSF guidance had been taken into account by the Headteacher in terms of the grounds for exclusion and that the decision was not taken 'in the heat of the moment'
  • confirmation of whether other guidance, for example Race Equality, has been taken into account
  • specific queries relating to Special Needs and Disability with regard to the DCSF guidance as appropriate
  • for Special Needs pupils, whether professional advice and support has been sought and whether there has been liaison with the Local Authority about an interim review where child has a statement
  • clarification of strategies implemented by the school and the involvement of external professionals where the exclusion is for persistent disruptive behaviour

5.9.6When a Headteacher decides to permanently excluded a pupil he/she must inform the parent and the Local Authority of the reason for this decision. Appendix 5 provides details of the 12 categories of reason for exclusion that are recorded by the Local Authority.