SKIPTON MP Julian Smith has waded in to help alleviate potential changes which threaten the future of Craven Pupil Referral Service.

The school - which caters for youngsters with educational needs or who are no longer in mainstream education - fears a 50 per cent cut in funding from the county council through proposed changes to the ‘High Needs Budget’ will result in losing teachers and, potentially, its home.

Brian McDaid, a governor of the school which his teenage daughter attended for a while, said the whole school was concerned about the future.

He said: “Whilst there is an understanding that there needs to be a review to ensure there is a consistent approach to how we support young people with additional needs, North Yorkshire County Council is promoting this as a cost saving exercise.

“They have omitted the fact that these proposals will make cuts to vital services in our local community, that many young people and their families rely on.

“The Craven Pupil Referral Service will especially be under threat as the proposals will mean a 50 per cent cut to their funding, which will also impact other Pupil Referral Services across the county. Many within our community will not be aware of the great work the PRS offers our young children, who face challenges to stay within mainstream education.

“The issues young people face vary from behavioural challenges to mental health. We are all aware through current national campaigns that mental health, such as depression and anxiety, is an issue that needs more education, support and awareness. This issue is only going to increase and the continuous cuts to funding for young people facing the daily struggle of mental health, will only make matters worse.

“We should be looking at ways to increase the support, not cut it.

“The proposals will impact Craven PRS and the potential outcome will be that they will not be able to run the current model of provision next year and will not be possible for them to maintain their current premises in Keighley Road. They will have to seek alternative premises, but with these current proposals, there will not be enough time to achieve this.”

Mr McDaid said: “It’s not your stereotypical ‘school for bad kids’ establishment as around half of the 15 or so children attending are there for other reasons such as mental health issues, anxiety or depression.”

MP Mr Smith said: “I met with representatives of the Craven Pupil Referral Service to discuss North Yorkshire County Council’s proposed High Needs Budgets changes and their effect on the school. I have told the school I will do everything I can to help, and have written to the county council on their behalf to express their concerns.”

The county council said it is reviewing and reshaping the High Needs Budget.

Jane le Sage, North Yorkshire County Council’s assistant director for inclusion, said: “Our vision is to deliver better outcomes for young people. We know that permanent exclusion has a negative impact in terms of educational outcomes and options in later life. So wherever possible we believe children should remain within mainstream education, in their local school with support to meet their needs.

“The proposals we are now consulting on are designed to help us to achieve that vision.

“We propose creating local partnerships made up of leaders from local primary and secondary schools and post-16 providers.

“The partnerships would work with the local authority, putting decision-making into the hands of local leaders.

“The partnerships would be allocated a sum of money and would have the flexibility to decide how to use that money to meet the needs of children and young people.

“Under our proposals, we would still provide enough places for the education of young people who have been permanently excluded from school.

“We would fund these places at £17,000 a place, rather than the current £19,000, which would bring us into line with national averages.

“Local partnerships could commission more provision from the pupil referral service if they felt that was the best option."

The county council added: "The Pupil Referral Service premises in Skipton belong to North Yorkshire County Council. The funding the local authority provides to the Pupil Referral Service will be used to cover payments for maintenance, in the same way as is usual for any maintained school.

"We recognise that our proposals may impact on the current model of alternative provision, and this could involve a review of the use of current premises, but we are committed to working with mainstream and pupil referral service/alternative provision head teachers to agree a model which is fit for purpose into the future and focuses more on prevention rather than the need for permanent exclusion."

The consultation ended on Sunday, November 11.