§ 28. Dr. IddonTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans he has to assist schools in dealing with disruptive pupils. [119652]
§ Ms Estelle MorrisWe are providing more than £500 million over three years, backed up by new guidance on 'Social Inclusion: Pupil Support', to help schools tackle pupils' behavioural problems. From this September we are expanding the Excellence in Cities initiative to 21 additional local education authorities. This will include the provision of additional Learning Mentors and Learning Support Units to help schools better manage disruptive pupils.
In addition, on 27 April my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced £28 million to establish 360 LSUs outside Excellence in Cities areas; £8 million to establish 60 pilot LSUs to serve about 200 primary schools in existing EiC areas; a new £2 million innovation fund with the voluntary sector and employers to provide innovative programmes for excluded pupils and pupils at risk of exclusion; and a new £9 million pupil allowance scheme for secondary schools in EiC areas which accept difficult pupils outside the normal admissions round.