The Provider:

Behaviour Support Service, Birmingham

Reintegration support is available from BSS to all Birmingham mainstream schools taking children in the 5 - 16 range.  In some instances previously excluded pupils resident in Birmingham but attending an out of LEA school can be supported in their initial settling period.  Pupils may also be supported by way of a phased programme sharing the placement between school and centre.

Around 200 permanently excluded pupils are referred to the service each year, this has triggered new inclusive initiatives to be developed.  The BSS has nine centres across the City.  In each centre there is a member of staff responsible for reintegration.  The Reintegration Team Leader has 0.5 of week identified to co-ordinate the team and reintegration practices. 

Summary:

Alongside the statutory education of excluded pupils the BSS works in partnership with schools to reintegrate previously permanently excluded pupils with behavioural and emotional difficulties into mainstream education.  The Reintegration Team plan and prepare programmes of support for these pupils and schools, to maximise pupils‘ potential and to make this transition as smooth as possible.  Reintegration Support covers a number of activities, 1 to 1 support, classroom observation, support in the classroom and support for the teachers involved with the pupil.  Reintegration programmes throughout the service are consistent in process and practice but are tailor made to meet the needs of the individuals.  The Reintegration Team supports all Key Stages and involves both teaching and non-teaching staff.

The Aim:

The reintegration of excluded pupils is one of the main priorities of BSS. Reintegration may follow a period of time in a BSS Centre, or if appropriate, be directly into a new school.

What do you see in the school?

• Extensive collection of policies and procedures
• Schools very clear that the service provides a quality service  they approve of
• Management structures are clear but also work in an informal and helpful way
• Leadership is provided within a clear structure
• Expectations from all staff are high and this is confirmed by the schools
• Development plan is realistic and well thought out
• Performance Management system is appropriate and is applied consistently and effectively - reflecting key priorities of the Service.
• The Service is well briefed on current local and national plans and initiatives
• Service supports pupils as they are re-integrated rather than teaching them directly.  The support provides is excellent eg daily text messages between tutor and young person
• Service manager closely monitors the work of the service and the progress of pupils
• A re-integration database holds evidence on the progress and destination of the pupils over time
• Feedback from stakeholders is encouraged and analysed
• The service supports extended school projects
• The service provides valued training for school-based staff
• The service provides expertise for other services
• The service provided information and case studies for a National PRU conference
• It has received visits from a range of other providers / PRUs from Hereford, Gloucester and Coventry
• Service has written articles for national and regional magazines

What difference does it make?

• Many success stories - ‘service is brilliant we have had 13 successful reintegrations‘, ‘re-integration support is amazing‘, ‘re-integration is brilliant‘
• Successful exam results or other measures of success when they have been previously been permanently excluded
• 75% of pupils are successfully reintegrated
• Schools are clear that the service is very successful and makes strong impact
• Feedback from parents, pupils and schools is very positive

From where is evidence collected to prove the Leading Aspect?

• Annual report
• Questionnaires completed by parents, pupils and school staff
• OFSTED report 2003
• Feedback from school staff
• Reintegration Policy
• Reintegration database
• Flowcharts and procedures
• Tracking sheets
• Feedback from school based staff - telephone conversations and questionnaires
• Evidence on progress made by pupils - tracking data
• Records of extended school projects
• Information training provided for schools
• Improving school practice - examples of activities that have helped
• Article in ‘Action for Inclusion‘ magazine
• Records of visits from PRUs in Gloucester, Coventry and Hereford

The Verifiers Comment

• The range of activities used to re-integrate pupils back into mainstream schools
• The effective policies and procedures used, for example, re-integration readiness scale
• Commitment to quality from all staff across the organisation
• The support and confidence of schools in the effectiveness of the service provided and the many examples of successful re-integration