The white paper, released yesterday (20 May), also promises to give pupils the chance to return to mainstream education when possible and the opportunity to work towards targets to help them do so.
New ways of providing alternative education services will be encouraged by requiring local authorities to invite tenders from both voluntary and private sector providers.
The white paper also proposes to shut down failing PRUs and open 10 pilot schemes costing £26m. One of the pilots will replace a failing PRU and another will offer business-based education in a "studio school" to pupils who are at risk of becoming badly behaved.
Ministers will be given extra powers to intervene when a PRU is failing and Ofsted will include failing PRUs in comprehensive area assessments of local authorities.
- www.cypnow.co.uk/doc.
