New education centres for pupils at risk of expulsion are being built as part of a £5m plan. Education bosses in Manchester plan to create ‘inclusion centres’ at six secondary schools around the city.
The initiative has been billed as a unique attempt to prevent disruptive pupils from being thrown out because of poor behaviour. Instead students sent to the centres will receive intensive one-to-one support from teachers, therapists, Connexions education advisers and mentors from outside organisations.
Mums and dads will also be asked to take part in sessions to tackle underlying issues with family life.
The new buildings will be based at Cedar Mount in Gorton, Chorlton High, Newall Green High in Wythenshawe, Burnage Media Arts College, Abraham Moss High in Crumpsall and Manchester Creative and Media Academies in Moston. The facilities will be open to pupils from across the city. No extra cash is being put aside for staff or activities, with the schools sending their own teachers or buying in experts to deliver the sessions.
By preventing children from being expelled, education officials believe they can stop more youngsters slipping into crime and anti-social behaviour.
Coun Afzal Khan, the executive member for children’s services, said: "These centres are all about a short intensive intervention for young people who may need support around behavioural, emotional and social issues.
"The centres will focus on developing pupils’ social and emotional skills, with the involvement of parents and carers and reintegrating them successfully back into mainstream school."
As well as lessons, children will be taught how to manage their behaviour and build up their self-esteem.
Cash for the ‘inclusion centres’, which can each accommodate up to 16 pupils, was part of Manchester council’s £509m Building Schools for the Future bid, but details of the plans have only just been finalised. Architects and builders have now been appointed.
The first centres will open at Gorton Education Village, home of Cedar Mount High, and Chorlton High in October. The others will open by 2013.
Manchester council was one of the few local authorities to renew all its secondary schools under BSF.
The coalition government pulled the plug on Labour’s flagship school-building programme last summer. Tameside, Bolton and Wigan were among the authorities forced to scrap new buildings.
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I think it's fantastic that we spend so much money on "disadvantaged people", infact I think all taxes should go to help "disadvantaged people" and those of us that work hard at school and then in employment should just be left to fend for ourselves.
I also find it reassuring to know that theses centres are to be staffed using existing teachers and specialists funded out of existing school budgets, at least the well behaved kids won't have to be bothered by intensive one-to-one tuition and won't have to worrying about damaging new text books or sports equipment.
"At risk of expulsion"? Makes it sound as if they are passive victims in all of this!
Who are these vicious would-be expellers, and why do they pick on these kids?
Gauling ... 'hope it prevents the next generation of even more expensive anti-social yobs that go around parks beheading birds etc .
Perhaps parents should have to pay 50 o/o of the bill - woild that get these kids back into school ?
what about kids who've been adbused? thy can be at risk of being expelled? should we leave them to rot as well as anyone who displays distruptive behaviour. There is always a reason for this behaviour whether its neglect at home. abuse, learning difficulties and I really dispise the callous attitude of people who would abandon our young people at the first sign of trouble.
Excellent. These nasty little thugs will be rewarded with support and one-on-one tutoring, while the decently behaved will left languishing in their oversized classrooms dealing with the after effects of budget cuts no doubt.
It's a really great idea to teach young people how modern Britain works by practical example.
Shame it can't be done without spending £5 million of MY and YOUR money.
Maybe if the powers that be should provide a small room where someone could give these poor disruptive kids a good smacking would be more productive. These kids,in general,are not the victims, they are just bad! One to one tuition,the poor normal kids in class should be so lucky!
I always believed Parents were responsible for their children, not the state.
Inclusion Centre is going to help these children focus , does that make it a "Concentration Camp"?
Maybe one of the questions people should be asking is related to the areas the centres are opening!!!! Maybe this is a reflection on the school and the ability of the staff to teach such a diverse range of young people!!
I have to say that after reading the above article, I am not at all surprised that one of the first centres is to open at Gorton Education Village! (Cedar Mount High School)