A NEW centre is being set up at a school in York to teach some of the most challenging students.
South Bank Multi Academy Trust is looking to start the alternative provision centre at York High School in Acomb and it will initially cater for about 15 pupils from the trust's own two secondaries, York High and Millthorpe.
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The trust is currently advertising for a head of centre to run the operation on a salary of £48,894 a year.
They say: "If you joined the teaching profession to change lives this is the role for you. If you are dissatisfied working in a system that side-lines the most challenging students, then this is the role for you.
"The head of centre will be a strong, principled leader with a proven track record of working in alternative provision and experience of working with students with social, emotional and mental health needs and those with behavioural difficulties."
It comes as last month The Press reported that, according to the latest Department for Education figures, 761 pupils in York were suspended from school in the 2021-22 spring term – up from 487 across the same time period in 2018-19, before the coronavirus pandemic.
This was the highest figure of any term since comparable figures began at the start of the 2016-17 academic year.
Nationally, 201,000 pupils were suspended in the 2021-22 spring term – up from 184,000 in the autumn and the highest on record.
The new centre will be a specialist collaborative provision for students who are at risk of high levels of fixed-period exclusions or permanent exclusion, predominantly for students who need additional behavioural, social, emotional or mental health support.
The provision will initially be for students from South Bank Multi Academy Trust schools (York High and Millthorpe) and will consist of two cohorts Key Stage 3 and 4.
The centre will be based in a fully refurbished building on the York High School site.
The trust say: "Operating much smaller classes than our mainstream academies, the provision will focus on personal development, health and wellbeing of students, whilst not losing academic rigour. We will focus on ensuring that all students can achieve well and are able to move to their next stage with confidence, be it education, employment or training.
"The successful candidate will be courageous, determined, committed and resilient, and want the very best for all students. You will be supported by an experienced team of colleagues in this exciting opportunity involving the development of the provision right from the very beginning."
Anyone interested in the job is asked to call Zoe Pickard on 01904 806456, or email z.pickard@southbanktrust.co.uk to arrange an informal conversation with trust CEO Mark Hassack, CEO, to discuss the role in more detail.
The closing date is midnight on Sunday (May 21) with interviews planned for Thursday, May 25.
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