Pupil Referral Units

PRUs are Department for Education (DfE) registered educational establishments that are managed by local authorities and subject to regular inspections by Ofsted. We support a wide range of school aged young people in centres outside mainstream school but often work closely in partnership with groups of schools and other agencies. These vulnerable young people include those with emerging personality disorders, severe anxiety and depression as well as other mental health and medical needs.

Children and young people who come to PRUs are:

• pupils excluded from school on a permanent or fixed-term basis (more than 5 days)
• pregnant schoolgirls and school-age mothers, including sometimes those of sixth form age
• anxious and vulnerable pupils
• school refusers, school phobics and young carers
• pupils unable to attend school for medical reasons
• any pupils moving into the LA (casual admissions) who are unable to find a school place because of insufficiency of school places within the LA
• children who, because of entering public care or moving placement, require a change of school place and are unable to gain access to a school place
• asylum seekers and refugees who have no school place
• pupils with statements of special educational need whose placements are not yet agreed, and pupils awaiting assessment of learning difficulties and/or disabilities.

(Ofsted briefing to inspectors on PRUs 2009)

PRUs do an excellent job with 69% of PRUs being graded outstanding or good by Ofsted. Unfortunately much good work is undermined by negative stereotyping and labels in the press like ‘sin bins’.