Agenda item

Report of the Executive Director of People.

The Cabinet Member with the Children and Young People Portfolio introduced the report (previously circulated) of the Executive Director of People requesting that consideration be given to the release of £2.6m of Department for Education (DfE) High Needs Capital Funding for the development of a Pre-16 alternative provision centre at Darlington College.

The submitted report stated that the current provision for young people who had disengaged, or were at risk of disengaging from mainstream provision, was currently commissioned by the secondary academies for young people on an ad-hoc basis, often at significant expense;  in developing a pre-16 centre at Darlington College, more young people would be able to access an alternative provision curriculum that counted towards school’s educational outcomes and supported the development of young people; stated that Darlington College already had experience in delivering to a pre-16 age group; outlined the proposal to build a 50 place pre-16 academy; and the funding implications.

Reference was made at the meeting to the importance of having provisions for young people who did not fit into mainstream education; the importance of providing post 16 maths and English as part of that provision; the assessment process, to ensure that the right young people attended the centre; and the timescales for spending the available funding.  The Cabinet Member with the Children and Young People Portfolio responded thereon.

RESOLVED – That £2.6m of DfE High Needs Capital Funding for the development, as detailed in the submitted report, be released.

REASON - There are a number of young people who have disengaged, or are at risk of disengaging, from mainstream provision.  Often, these young people are placed in expensive alternative provision commissioned by mainstream schools.  This provision, whilst engaging the young people, often do not provide the educational outcomes needed for that young person to move forward and become an economically active member of the community.