North Yorkshire Council has opened a public consultation on proposed changes to the way permanently excluded primary-aged children may be taught in the future.
The move follows a sharp rise in exclusions across the county. In 2021/22, five primary school children were permanently excluded. By 2024/25, the figure had increased to 25.
The consultation is seeking views from parents, carers, education professionals and the wider community on new approaches designed to improve support and outcomes for these children.
One proposal would extend the age range of existing pupil referral units and academy alternative provision, enabling them to cater for children of primary age. These settings would offer small class sizes and personalised support to help pupils re-engage with learning in a more tailored environment.
Council leader Cllr Carl Les said: “We want to ensure that we provide the very best support we can to all pupils in North Yorkshire, and we are keen to glean the views from as many people as possible.
“We have seen increasing numbers of primary aged children who have been excluded from school, so we are having to look carefully at potential new approaches.”
He added: “Councils have legal duties to arrange suitable full-time education for permanently excluded pupils within six days of their exclusion. I would encourage parents, carers and schools to share their feedback and help shape the future of alternative education provision in the county.”
The consultation runs until Sunday 9th November. The online survey is expected to take around five minutes to complete and is available at www.northyorks.gov.uk/appe. Paper copies can be requested by emailing BusinessSupport@northyorks.gov.uk.
