Decision details

To approve the Pupil Referral Unit (PRU) Capital Strategy to ensure Surrey County Council meet their duty to provide suitable premises for the purpose of discharging its responsibility to secure suitable education for those who have been excluded or are otherwise unable to access suitable education.

RESOLVED:

1. The approach set out in the submitted report to provide appropriate Pupil Referral Unit (PRU) provision that adhered to the statutory requirements and accommodation guidelines for alternative provision to support our ambition for children and young people was noted.

2. £1m to support the relocation of the Pewley Hill PRU was approved.

3. £1m to carry out a feasibility study for long term accommodation requirements and inform a business case to be considered at Cabinet in the Autumn 2020 was approved.

Reason for decision:

The existing PRU estate was not fit for purpose and did not meet the needs of our most vulnerable leaners. The recommendations sought to ensure that the PRU settings met the minimum Department for Education space standards, were informed by national guidance on alternative provision and were suitably located within communities to appropriately meet the needs of our vulnerable learners. 

The recommendations would ensure urgent relocation of the Pewley Hill provision in the short term, (mitigating the poor condition of the current estate on the site), inform a business case to ensure that there were appropriate educational facilities in the long term, and address the wide range of pupil needs and flexibility required to manage fluctuations in pupil numbers throughout the year - including early intervention programmes to reduce exclusions. 

[The decisions on this item can be called in by the Children, Families, Lifelong Learning & Culture Select Committee]