§ Mr. CoakerTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) what the target ratio is of(a) learning support units and (b) pupil referral units to secondary schools; [150712]
(2) how many additional pupil referral units he estimates are needed September 2002 in order to meet the Government's commitment to provide a place for all young people who have been excluded from school. [150795]
§ Jacqui SmithThe ratio of Learning Support Units to secondary schools varies from LEA to LEA. Some, such as City of Nottingham, have chosen to set up LSUs in all their secondary schools; others have targeted those schools with greatest need in terms of rates of exclusion,
4Wfactors. The following figures on funding per FTE are affected by the factors as well as average level of funding per unit.
attendance and severity of behavioural problems. However, in Excellence in Cities areas there is an average of one LSU for every two secondary schools. There are now over 1,000 LSUs in England.
We are providing education authorities with the resources to ensure that all excluded pupils receive a full-time education by 2002. Such education will take place in a range of settings including PRUs, the voluntary sector, further education and work experience. From April, funding to tackle truancy and exclusion increases to £174 million and already there are over 1,000 more places and nearly 600 more teachers, instructors and education support assistants at PRUs compared to 1997. Education authorities are assessing locally their requirements for increasing provision taking account of the number of exclusions and the successful re-integration of excluded pupils into mainstream school. In 2000 one third of PRUs reported offering full-time provision to pupils and two thirds offered 13 or more hours tuition each week. Planned LEA funding for PRUs increased by 13 per cent. this year compared to last, and we expect to see a 10 per cent. rise in the number of PRUs in 2001 compared to 2000. LEA plans indicate that in 2001 nearly two thirds of authorities will move to the full timetable for excluded secondary pupils. The recent Ofsted Annual Report noted the improving performance of PRUs and in particular highlighted improvements in teaching, pupil progress and re-integration into mainstream school of key stage 2 and 3 pupils.