Esteem North Academy provides education for pupils who are permanently excluded from mainstream education, or at risk of permanent exclusion (places permitting). It is likely that pupils will have received considerable support in school from teachers, teaching assistants and sometimes a behaviour support teacher. Pupil places are commissioned by the Local Authority. We are commissioned to provide full time offers of minimum 18 hours. Pupils in our catchment area of the north of the county, will automatically come to our roll at day 6 after their exclusion. Some pupils needs may be best met by remaining with our academy, whilst others may be short term and we will support with a reintegration back to mainstream swiftly. 

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Dual registered places can be commissioned directly with us from other schools at our discretion using our service level agreement. Dual registered places are to be financed by the commissioning school. Transport to site is the responsibility of the referring school. Permanently excluded pupil places will take priority. 

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Admission Criteria

Pupils are admitted to roll through Local Authority referral when they are PEX from mainstream at day 6. Parents cannot name our academy as a preferred option when completing their child's school preference. Pupils must meet the following criteria:

• They are school age up to year 11

• They have been permanently excluded from a Derbyshire mainstream school 

• 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.

• As our places are commissioned by the Local Authority, on rare occasions, they may negotiate a place for other vulnerable pupils, such as pupils are are Looked After

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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. 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 may at times be able to work closely with local schools and clusters, offering dual registered placements. Pupils without a school place will however, always take priority. Dual registered places were previously only permitted for a maximum of 2 terms. This no longer applies and any places can be negotiated with our own SLA at a cost to the commissioning school.  

 

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Referrals

 All PEX referrals will come through to the academy from the Local Authority. Our academy is represented at both the Chesterfield AIS and Peak 11 cluster meetings. Please contact the Headteacher to discuss any potential dual registered places. All admissions are considered by the Headteacher. Priority will be given to excluded pupils. We will send our SLA for dual registered places on request.

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Admission Process for PEX pupils

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 for appropriate pathways. PEX pupils will come to roll at day 6. 

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 the referral has been made

4. 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. We are able to offer various pathways to meet a child's needs. 

5. On roll date will be at day 6 after PEX

6. IPT will maintain contact with the pupil during an interim period until arrangements are made for the pupil to attend a site. A pupil may be provided with a tutor and be educated at home during this transition period. Pupils are always invited to site for an induction meeting with their parent/carer. It may also take some time for transport to be arranged by the Local Authority. Transport is commissioned by SEND Transport through Derbyshire. This transition period is Pathway 1 of our offer in the academy

 

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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