Pupil Referral Units...any experience of?

[bananalover]

Ds's school have informed me this morning that, as from September, DS will be attending.
Does anyone have any experience of PPU, what can we expect?

Thanks for all the great input and advice...very complicated subject, but will keep positive about DS's situation for his benefit

Two of our part-time PRU attenders react entirely differently to the small, select groups. One, as an attention-seeker, is like a little angel in his 1:3 groups; the other, an attention-avoider, is many times worse than he is at school!

IMHO the small groups, better resources, time-out rooms, etc provide an 'unrealistic' setting for part of the week. We then expect the children to come back to a class of 30, having missed much of the week's work, and be able to cope. This must be difficult for them.

I have found outreach from the PRU to be more effective, where teachers and PRU can work together in a homogenous setting.

If, however, the child is putting other children or the teacher in any danger, or has more serious needs, then of course s/he needs the extra intense help several days per week.

God, now I really have got a spinning head...too many angles and choices.
Should I just refuse PRU point blank if part time does not work well?

Ask first how it is expected to work. It might be okay
Tethersend don't really want to say!

DD3 has been attending a PRU for the past 9 months. I cannot praise it enough. The staff know how to deal with things so much better. DD is respected as a person and she has responded really well in so many ways.
I was so impressed with it that I am now on their management committee (equivelent of governing body)

I now have the pleasure of having a very mature, well rounded, calm 16 year old DD thanks to the PRU.

DD's placement was not due to her being disruptive, but she (and I) have witnessed some very disruptive/aggressive behaviour there and it ahs always been handled so well and the students respond so much better to staff who react in a calm way.

If part-time placement is not going to work, maybe a shorter time there full-time would be better and then a gradual re-intergration when things have improved.
I would suggest contacting the PRU staff. I found them a million times more approachable and understanding than mainstream staff.

I work in a secondary school and we have a unit like this. It seems to work well and some of the children are attending mainstream lessons now.

My son is in a PRU for 3 days a week and attends his ms primary for 2 days. He has ASD and it's not the appropriate environment for him.

It has improved his behaviour as the classes are very small (5-10 pupils) and the teacher can differentiate the lessons according to his interests/obsessions. But he needs an autism-specific education and this is a way for the LA to avoid providing this for him.

Most other pupils do have social issues which have affected their behaviour, which means that modelling behaviour is a problem.

I would recommend that you read this guidance document (aimed at LAs) on PRUs so that you're aware of how things ought to be done. It should be a short-term solution and there ought to be regular meetings to arrange reintegration. Ours has been frustratingly disorganised about doing this and my son has been in the PRU for a year now.

Also, you need to be aware of the differences between PRUs and schools - the management structure is different, they don't need to follow the NC (there's a focus on literacy and numeracy at ours - very little else) and how staff are hired (staff have left very suddenly which is far from ideal for an ASD child).

There are positive aspects - the smaller groups was far better than a crowded classroom for my son and the staff could engage with him better because they could get to know each pupil. But do be aware that it should be a short-term placement and you need support/strategies that will continue through to his mainstream placement.

I can't help worrying about one thing really.
My DS is causing disruption in the class and being aggressive at breaktimes. From what the teachers say, he is only one in his class acting so badly.
But, if he is in a PRU class with, I assume, all the other pupils there having same behavioural issues, surely they will all just cause mayhem toghether? Won't they ALL be acting up and disrupting each other?
Don't really see how this can help them, putting them all in one room together.

Staff at the PRU are highly trained. There is a high staff/pupil ratio. Many of the issues which may be causing stress and therefore reaction in school, may be aleviated (sp?) by the change in circumstances and direct behaviour work at the PRU.

I have a huge problem with PRUs (and this is not an attack on the staff who work at them - many of whom I'm sure are amazing - or an attack on anyone who's child attends a PRU - I'm sure in some cases they can be good for a child).

I just think they are the LEAs way of shunting all the kids they don't know what to do with into one place, neatly kept away from everyone else. I have strongly resisted my child being placed in one. His behaviour is extremely challenging - partly due to his Asperger's, partly due to stress caused by the way the schools have dealt poorly with his SEN - andit has been suggested that he attend a BIP and (eventually) a PRU several times by LEA.

What I would want to know, as a parent, is: what is the route after PRU? What is the longer term strategy for my child? A few months in a PRU isn't going to magically make a child's issues disappear. So what are the LEA proposing happens later on down the line?

I only have experience of working with YPs in PRUs at secondary level, and I have to say in the areas I have worked (all London), there is one main royte out of PRU and that is into YOI. I would be interested to see if stats back this up.

I am not scare mongering. Honestly. I have no real experience of PRUs at primary level, so I am not saying they are all dreadful, but I struggle to understand the whole concept, really...

When children return to our school after a placement at the PRU, the PRU teacher, the class teacher, parents, TA and senco work on a transition plan, to include the stategies which have worked well for that child. Classroom management strategies and school expectations are also examined to see which of them might have been contributing to behaviour difficulties in the first place.

The support from the PRU is then on-going for as long as required.

I can see what you're saying Reasonable Doubt about your concerns of children being shunted into one place. I can only say that in the case of my school, those pupils are absolutely still considered part of our school, and will be supported to return to the school at an appropriate time.

I think that success at the PRU really does depend on proper partnership working between parents, school and PRU and the school's willingness to reflect on what they do, and whether it works for all children.

I have a lot of respect for the staff at PRUs. I've taught quite a few lads who have gone to college straight out of PRUs. Without exception they have been delights to teach, calm, well spoken and thoughtful. Whatever they do to the students in there they should bottle it and sell it on, I've got nothing but admiration for them.

my sons adhd, diabetic, his behaviour at school is said to be the worst, he fidgets, makes noises, distracts the class, been kicked out of detention, isolation etc etc etc
We have had meeting with school, ed psych etc today n they have put into place yet another IEP we'v been told that if this doesnt work this time he will be sent to a referral unit for 12 wks or have a managed move to another school who can deal with him.
I feel a special school rather than a referral unit would better suit him. Confused

our PRU is now not accepting new referrals from school....they have to have a managed move,which is what DD is looking at if she doesnt improove herself. cutbacks i'm told

i was horrified when at first it was suggested to me my ds being sent to a pru when he has been dx asd its not the correct environment for him but this was dropped then weeks later i brought it up and they said oh no not appropriate environment for a ds with asd as if it had been my suggestion when it had been theirs

i used to work with kids attending PRU and school. The PRU was a more caring environment with lower staff ratios. The kids and staff had a very productive/positive relationship and the kids seemed more motivated to attend/achieve than they had been at school. Kids also had access to more appropriate/interesting subject areas - building/hair dressing/plastering etc. Yes the classrooms were lively at times and staff used various reward systems. Some of the kids had complex issues but were met with support/encouragement intead of hosltility/isolation/negativity. Great place for kids with ADHD.

Coopscow - you might get more replies if you start your own thread.

bananalover, I'd request a meeting with the head, SENCO and class teacher, as well as someone from the PRU to discuss all the issues. Have someone there to support you if you'd like that. Have your questions about how this will be planned, what this experience will be like for your DS, for how long/when will it be reviewed, who will your point of contact be at the PRU, will you be included at the review meeting (or, at least, your/DS's feedback), can you visit the PRU first, who will be responsible at each place for updating you and how/how regularly will that happen, etc etc. Get your questions together, including the difficult ones (not sure I'd like it altogether in your DS's shoes - not because the PRU sounds awful but I'd feel so out of it not being a f/t pupil at either.)

And huge good luck!! Used to work for a Behaviour Support Service, but quite a while ago now. Not sure how this 'continuity' would suit pupils, tbh. Don't like the potential for social exclusion/lack of continuity at both places. Ask why f/t statemented & supported attendance hasn't been offered at his mainstream school in the first place if it's all that bad, and don't let them wriggle out of a complete answer. I bet there are funding issues, but that's not your problem. I'd really be interested to know why they think this part-time PRU placement is better for him than full-time attendance at one place where his needs are appropriately addressed.

Coopscow put your thread on SN its understandable your confused but dont want to hijack the Op's thread.
OP you will find higer ratio's of Teachers and TAs probably about 8 or so pupils in a class and they will be better able to understand your Dc and have all the training and techics and handling policy to deal best with your DS does he have a DX? and statement i presume? whilsnt he is at the PRU id be doing my best if he has a statement to press for a SS permanently if this is what you say you feels where his needs will be better met missmehalia is making a lot of good advice and you can ask to visit it yourself beforhand to see if YOU think its ok for him temp onlysounds like they think his behavious can be addressed in the PRU , but i cant see how when only part time as when he goes back in afternoon whatevers causing the problems is still there?

omg so sorry how the heck did i do that lol

I have son in PRU and to be honest, I want him out ASAP.
He has Aspergers and is very bright. Staff talk to him like someone with learning difficulties and he is constantly angry. His self esteem is suffering badly. I wish I knew that before. Home schooling would be the best option for him. Also they do not allow him to have any social interaction, it is like a prison!

MY experience has been that they are variable in quality, particularly in terms of quality of teaching and learning.

I've seen some that were excellent, and some that should have been shut down.

The suggested PRU should have an OfSTED - does that give you any clues as to they type of provision on offer?