Centres may get one head teacher

7:50pm Tuesday 15th July 2008

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THE care of pupils excluded from York schools is set to come under the leadership of one head teacher.

Currently, York’s behaviour support service for schools is based at Fulford Cross, and comprises the Danesgate Skills Centre, on the same site as the Pupil Support Centre (PSC) and the Bridge Centre.

The whole site is known as the Danesgate Site and is run by two head teachers, each on an annual salary of £45,000. City of York Council now plans to create a new role for one head teacher, on a salary of £63,160. Councillors are looking at proposals to merge the PSC and the Bridge Centre so that there is one head teacher in one school. Currently the head teacher at the skills centre is Phil Metcalfe and the head teacher of the Bridge Centre is Jean Carter.

It is hoped that this single post would provide strategic leadership and co-ordinated management across the school, ensuring improved provision for all pupils, improved use of resources and better value for money.

The PSC caters both for Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4 pupils aged 11 to 16 who have been permanently excluded from school. The Bridge Centre focuses on short-term intervention for Key Stage 3 pupils and some Key Stage 2 pupils aged seven to 11.

The Skills Centre focuses on mainstream Key Stage 4 pupils aged 14 to 16, at risk of becoming disengaged, and additionally some pupils from the PSC. These pupils make up the majority of the Education Otherwise (EO) register, which lists pupils who are educated outside the school system and lists 110 pupils city-wide. In a report to go before councillors on Thursday, the city’s 14 to 19 partnership manager, John Thompson, states as one of the reasons for the decision to create the new role for one head teacher is that “there is currently no-one who knows what every pupil on the EO register is doing, what progress they are making and who is finally accountable for them.”

The Danesgate Centre opened in January as a flagship £3 million facility used by 60 youngsters every year.

It is aimed at pupils aged 14 and over who are having problems engaging at school and will try to ensure they are given a chance to acquire skills and reengage in the education system by studying for diplomas and other vocational courses.

City of York councillor Julie Funnell, shadow spokeswoman for youth and social inclusion, said: “It is critically important that pupils who are having problems engaging at school, for whatever reason, are given alternative ways to learn and develop and Danesgate is an essential element in the education provision of the city.”