Are PRUs really that bad?!

[Gracell4545]

DD struggles in MS she is 14 and since starting secondary has made little to no progress. School have said they "don't think they can meet her needs" and suggested the possibility of the pru.
DD has learning difficulties but is very street wise. she has a tutor out of school but her memory difficulties make it tricky for her to progress.
DD would be really upset to leave her friends , I have only ever heard horror stories about PRUs. Has anyone had a positive experience?

Well if there are no behavioural issues then I would be losing my shit that they school were unwilling to meet my child's needs.

Does your child have a educational health plan- a statement?

Prus are usually for children who can't stay in school due to tainting or bahavoourAl issues.

A PRU wouldn't typically be for a child with an EHCP or a child with learning difficulties. A PRU is usually for a child who has been excluded or is at risk of exclusion, linked to behaviour or sometimes MH issues.

No I have just requested one waiting for a response, school seem a bit clueless and said "they are only needed for special residential schools" .

She has behavioural problems in that if she is frustrated she becomes quite emotional and has time out. No fixed term exclusions to date. (Complaints of eye rolling, tutting, head on desk when she's not understood).

Also PRUS mostly have boys, usually very few girls.

Where do you live- there are lots of new APs and studio schools that have been set up which admit into Year 10.

She is not "severe enough" for a specialist provision but mainstream is very difficult. I've been fighting to let her drop some subjects to do other creative subjects and core subjects but they say their hands are tied.

PRUs are for children that can't be in main stream school because of behavioural and safety issues. I work in one but not as a teacher and it's absolutely bonkers. The dc are very violent and would be a danger to others and themselves in mainstream school.

It also costs £30,000 a year to educate them there. They are a last resort and not for dc struggling with learning that could be dealt with in mainstream with support and a one to one.

DD would hate that
She is definetly not violent or aggressive in the slightest. She has quite a nervous disposition.

She rolls her eyes and tuts.. PRU dc kick off by throwing chairs, throwing themselves, kicking anything, having to be restraint, setting the fire alarm off for because it's sunny and they want to go outside.

It's not low level poor behaviour that would mean they get put in a pru.

I'm not sure what happened to my paragraph up there. Autocorrect sucks!

I'd be amazed if she'd be placed in a PRU with no fte on her record.

Traditionally PRUs were not registered as schools and pupils were not supposed to be in them long term. Placements were supposed to be for some time out and planning re-integration in the existing or a new placement. According to research they are amongst the weakest type of educational setting in terms of how much progress pupils make- for obvious reasons (pupils on part time, short term placements, fewer staff so less specialist teaching etc.)

These days there are more Alternative Provision Schools some of which have taken on the function of a PRU as well as having permanent pupils on their own role. I imagine these would be more stable places.

The idea of a Studio School is a good one- is there one in your area?

I have never heard of a studio school, do you mind expanding?

It is true that there will be children with some fairly spectacular behavioural difficulties in any SEMH provision.

Yes get an EHCP - if the school 'can't meet her needs' she needs to be somewhere that can

I have worked in PRU's - they can do good things with kids who have struggled - mainly because of the staffing ratios - although I think they therefore don't prepare kids for FE etc

But I would think a school for children with moderate learning disabilities would be more suitable or even a better mainstream school that can meet her needs

I work in FE with students who've not achieved in, or been kicked out of PRUs. Many of them are girls.

What area are you? Some FE colleges are doing 14-16 provision now.

Direct Delivery - mainly kids who've been bullied / not coped in school

Alternative Provision - mainly those who'd usually go to a PRU

That's a total generalisation but accurate in my experience. Direct Delivery might suit your dd if you live in an area that does it

Studio School Trust

Smaller schools, more practical bent to the education. I think they look amazing, if I was a Secondary teacher I would work in on like a shot.

to be honest it sounds like her current school have done very little to help and just want rid of her, poor thing :(

Thank you I will look into it now. I am in west Kent area.

I feel the same ghostly it breaks my heart. She adores her friends and would fall apart at the mention of a special needs school. She is incredibly charismatic but putting pen to paper is just so difficult for her.

A PRU is supposed to be a very short term measure. The idea is the child transitions back to their 'home' school.

I do not see how this measure will in any way help your daughter!

Your school has lied to you about EHCP's probably because once your child's needs are identified they legally have to meet them.

I would initiate the EHCP process myself RIGHT NOW!

school seem a bit clueless and said "they are only needed for special residential schools"

That is shocking ignorance or misinformation.

It sounds as though they just want her off their hands and budgets .

You'll find somewhere better for her. NOT a PRU by your description of her.

Definitely pursue the EHCP

It might be worth speaking to the people behind Opt Into ;

westkent.ac.uk/component/content/article/899-employability-and-community-other-info/10686-young-people-14-18.html

They'll probably be able to signpost you to other 14-16 options even if the short programme isn't suitable for your DD.

Unfortunately uou are quite some distance (Rye or C London) from a studio school, otherwise I'd third that suggestion. But there might be other mainstream but alternative 14+ provision around.

Good luck

Most children I have worked with who are PRU's have severe behaviour issues. It can become explosive as their different behaviours can wind each other up and they also learn some bad habits from others.

From the information you have given, I really can't see why they would place your daughter in a behaviour unit. What about schools that specialise in Emotional issues? I know of some in Kent

Good luck in finding right place for her. Stand your ground, it needs to be right school for her and not what school feels is right for them

I went to a PRU for Year 11 out of choice, as I was a pregnant teen and did not fancy being taunted or ripped to shreds by the awful teens at my mainstream school.

I had no behaviour issues whatsoever, in fact I was a student who always achieved top grades. The school were reluctant to lose me and I remained technically on their roll.

In our area the PRUs are seperated into 3 different sites across the borough, in level of severity of student needs. Mine was attached to a FE college where we had access to the grounds and cafeteria and we were 90% girls, most of whom had babies/were pregnant and a few who had health issues. One girl had suffered a stroke and was still learning to master some of her motor functions. There were no issues, no dramas, I had my baby, passed all my GCSEs with top grades and went to the FE college to do my A-Levels, then onto the local Uni to do a degree. Now I work in a primary school.

The other two PRUs housed the more violent, excluded children and were in their own locked grounds at the other side of town.

Not all PRUs are bad, it really very much depends on the particular one.