UK Youth, the leading national youth work charity which specialises in working with young people who have been excluded from school, is concerned that despite the decline in exclusions from schools as published by the Government today, there remains a clear link between deprivation and exclusion.
The figures show that children entitled to free school meals, a key deprivation indicator, are three times more likely to be excluded. Equally, secondary schools in the most deprived areas have 4% more exclusions than those in the least deprived areas.
Students who are regularly excluded are far more likely to end up not in education, employment or training (NEET) so it is vital to find ways to support them before they reach the point of being excluded.
Many such young people in this position have a long track record of non-engagement with the curriculum which may have started with low attainment at primary school and complex social deprivation.
John Bateman OBE, Chief Executive of UK Youth, says “Non-attendance at school is damaging in the long term for young people and the root causes of the problem need to be addressed.
“We need to recognise the importance of investing in proven solutions rather than adopting a revolving door approach that doesn't address the real problem of a curriculum that is not motivating for some young people.
“Young people who are at risk of exclusion need access to a personalised curriculum that motivates them together with support from teachers, youth workers and mentors who can provide appropriate support and guidance.
“Our experience of pioneering an alternative curriculum for children at risk of exclusion shows that this approach pays dividends. Young people respond well to being given access to vocational subjects which allow them to gain skills and qualifications and enable them to have a clear sense of how to manage their lives when they leave.”
UK Youth in conjunction with 7KS have developed an alternative curriculum based around what individual young people enjoy doing. This curriculum approach has been trialed in an independent school called 7KS South Park Enterprise College in Scunthorpe which has around 80 students on roll at this time. 7KS South Park Enterprise College is the model on which the Youth Achievement Foundations are based and with this method we have seen hugely positive results. 100% of pupils have gained accredited outcomes with 75% gaining a Key Skill. The attendance levels of pupils is up from about 30% in mainstream school to over 90% in the College. Ofsted have rated the curriculum as “outstanding” and the model is cost effective and sustainable.
As a result, UK Youth has secured funding of £4.5 million from the Department of Children, Schools and Families through the Youth Sector Development Fund to develop 10 Youth Achievement Foundations around the country. UK Youth now have Youth Achievement Foundations open in Macclesfield and Gloucestershire, with four more opening in September 2009 in Middlesbrough, Derby, Bristol and the New Forest, and a further four in September 2010.
Notes to Editors:
UK Youth is the leading national youth work charity – www.ukyouth.org - supporting over 750,000 young people, 40,000 volunteers and 7,000 youth clubs, groups and projects across the UK. UK Youth helps young people to raise their aspirations, realise their potential and have their achievements recognised. In 2010, UK Youth is celebrating its centenary year. Formed in 1911 to support factory girls who were not receiving education, the charity has always been about inclusion.
UK Youth specialise in helping young people who are excluded from formal education re-engage with education and gain formal recognition for their achievements, thus gaining necessary skills to take control of their lives and set achievable goals for their future.
Full details of the exclusion figures can be found at http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000860/index.shtml
For further information, or to arrange an interview, please contact Charlotte Smith on 07866 518 645 or charlotte@ukyouth.org
UK Youth websitewww.ukyouth.org
UK Youth Blog: http://blogukyouth.wordpress.com/
