North East Derbyshire Support Centre provides education for pupils who are permanently excluded from mainstream education, or at risk of permanent exclusion.

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Prior to referral to the academy, it is likely that pupils will have received considerable support in school from teachers, teaching assistants and sometimes a behaviour support teacher.

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Admission Criteria

Pupils are admitted to roll if they meet the following criteria:

• They are Year 3 to Year 6 (for dual-registered 'at risk' pupils)

• They are Year 7 to Year 11 (for single-registered permanently excluded and dual-registered 'at-risk' pupils)

• They have been permanently excluded from a Derbyshire mainstream school / or are at risk of permanent exclusion. 

• They have taken up residence in Derbyshire and have been previously attending a state-funded AP for permanently excluded pupils, in a county where the Local Authority operate a policy of preventing permanent exclusions by placing pupils in a Support Centre and who would have been permanently excluded but for this policy

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As an Alternative Provision Academy, we do not specifically accept admission of children with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP). The exception to this is where a child or young person has been diagnosed and gained an Education, Health and Care plan while currently accessing education within the academy at KS4. Within these circumstances, it is possible for the child or young person to remain with the academy if the following is correct:

•    the needs of the child are best met in the academy

•    an additional transition would detrimentally affect the child

•    the child is already making good or better progress and parental preference is to maintain the education in place with additions as     mandated in the plan.

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Our academy is not a proxy for SEND provision. Our ethos is also in line with the advice from the new AP Admission template from the DfE, which states:

‘Alternative provision should not be used as a proxy for SEN provision nor as a solution for children who are not attaining high standards at other schools. They exist to re-engage children with education. They should normally aim to work towards reintegrating pupils back into mainstream provision.’

However, we will discuss each and every child on an individual basis and take all issues into consideration.

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Dual Registration

As a means to prevent permanent exclusion, we work closely with local schools and clusters, offering dual registered placements for an agreed time period of up to 2 terms. Pupils without a school place will however, always take priority. For KS2 dual registration placements please contact Melanie.stevenson@nedsc.derbyshire.sch.uk

 

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Referrals

 All referrals will come through to the academy from the Local Authority (for permanently excluded pupils) or at the request of a cluster school via the local cluster meeting for any dual-registered placements at KS3/4. Our academy is represented at both the Chesterfield AIS and Peak 11 cluster meetings. Referrals for KS2 dual registered places currently can be made directly to our academy for consideration. However, this may be subject to change for 2023-24. 

 

Admissions are considered by the Headteacher. 

Priority will be given to excluded pupils.

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Admission Process

1. Information about the academic, behavioural, social and emotional needs of the pupil is collated by the Inclusion Pathways Team (IPT) and presented in a Pupil Information Pack (PIP). Integration Teachers provide additional information to further inform the decision

2. The PIP is the Commissioning Agreement with the Local Authority which sets out the purpose and intent of the pupils places. the LA will review each PIP up to 3 times per year. 

3. For all Key Stages, our academy liaises with parents or carers when a decision regarding a placement has been made

4. We will ensure that all the necessary information has been received before considering the referral

5. We will consider the needs of the pupil and agree an appropriate provision to meet those needs, taking into account the places available across the academy's sites

6. An on roll date will be set once all information is provided

7. Priority will be given to Children in Care and PEX pupils

8. In the event that all commissioned places are allocated to pupils, the academy will operate a waiting list, prioritising pupils as per the Local Authority commissioning agreement 

 

Transfer of pupils between State-Funded APs (PRUs, AP Academies and AP Free Schools)

1. The referring state-funded AP will provide an up to date Pupil Information Pack (PIP) about the pupil, to include: current behaviour; academic progress; relevant information provided by other agencies; and reason for referral directly to our academy

2. We will ensure that all the necessary information has been provided before considering the referral

3. Pupils will be considered along with all other referrals, and prioritised as per the Local Authority commissioning agreement. Ordinarily, priority will be given to Children in Care and PEX pupils

4. The pupil will remain on the roll of, and continue to attend, the referring AP whilst the arrangements for admission to our academy are made

5. We will liaise closely with the referring AP and the pupils parents/carers, and will inform them of arrangements for visits to the academy, and the start date at the new provision.

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