Blaenau Gwent struggles with a shortage of referral units for students excluded from schools, raising concerns among local councillors.
Blaenau Gwent: There’s been a lot of chatter lately about the lack of a pupil referral unit (PRU) for kids who get kicked out of schools. This issue came up during a recent council meeting, and it’s got everyone a bit worried.
The council’s People scrutiny committee looked at some numbers, and it turns out that while temporary exclusions have dropped, permanent ones are on the rise. From six last year to seven this year, which isn’t great.
Cllr Tommy Smith, the committee chairman, raised a good point. He asked what support is available to help these kids get back into school after being permanently excluded. It’s a tough situation, especially when a child gets kicked out twice. Schools can be pretty hesitant to take them back.
Julie Sambrook, the school inclusion manager, explained the process. First, there’s a meeting to validate the first exclusion. Then, they take it to a panel to discuss the details and decide what to do next. But if a kid was excluded for violence, other schools might not want to take them on.
Without a PRU since 2017, they’re kind of stuck. They can offer home tuition and support, but the goal is still to get the child back into a local school, just slowly.
Cllr Smith found it reassuring that there’s some support in place, but it’s clear there’s a lot more work to do. The director of education mentioned they’re bringing in a consultant to help figure things out, especially around exclusions.
The report will be presented to the Cabinet soon, and the local reporting service is curious about why there’s no PRU in the area and if any kids are being sent to PRUs outside the county.
Last I heard, the Canolfan yr Afon PRU used to be at the Thomas Richards Centre in Tredegar, but it closed in 2017. Now, Blaenau Gwent is one of the few places in Wales without a PRU, which is a big deal since these units are crucial for kids who need extra help.
