Project helping young people educated outside of mainstream school gets huge boost

A Nottinghamshire project to help young people, educated outside of the mainstream school system, get into further education or employment, has been awarded a share of a £4m Government fund.

Announced yesterday by Schools Standards Minister, Nick Gibb, Futures Advice was named as one of just nine innovative schemes across the country to benefit from a £4million fund to develop new ways of improving alternative provision. The funding aims to support children educated out-side of mainstream or special schools and help them succeed later in life.

Starting in September, Futures will begin a programme of work alongside local alternative provision providers, local authorities and voluntary sector partners, to help get more young people, who have been educated in alternative provision, the help they need to pursue further education oppor-tunities or seek employment.

Evidence shows children educated in alternative provision are less likely to achieve good GCSE grades and are less likely to be in education, employment or training post-16.

The Alternative Provision Innovation Fund was set up earlier this year to help get children back into mainstream education when it is suitable, encourage parents and carers to be more involved in their child’s education, help young people make good academic progress, and move on to further education or employment.

Futures Chief Executive, John Yarham, said:

‏“Supporting young people in alternative provision is a priority for Futures and we’‏re really excited to have the opportunity to work in partnership with the DfE to provide improved opportunities across Nottingham and Nottinghamshire. ‏

“We’re working with a number of local Alternative Provision providers, local authorities and voluntary sector partners, and this project will make a significant impact on young people’s life chances, and on providers’ ability to sustain that impact going forward.”