Pupil referral: Inside Cardiff unit as Covid drives need

Some people still think it is "a naughty boys' school" but it is a view that the head of Cardiff's only pupil referral unit (PRU) wants to challenge.

Bryn y Deryn PRU provides education for about 90 young people aged 14 to 16 who have left mainstream schools.

Some have been excluded because of behaviour and others haven't been going to school because of anxiety or other emotional and mental health issues.

Now there are plans to double the city's PRU places.

It comes as demand following the Covid-19 pandemic increases.

BBC Wales was given special access to speak to learners and staff at Bryn y Deryn.

Amoree and Aliyah, both 15, are two of the newest students, joining just before the end of the summer term.

In their previous schools they were "just seen as naughty".

"I've been to three mainstream schools and this is the only school I've enjoyed," Amoree said.

Aliyah found it harder to focus on work in bigger classrooms.

She said there were now fewer pupils and "you can relax more and get the help that you need from that teacher".

The girls have become firm friends since meeting at Bryn y Deryn, where they feel rewarded for taking positive steps.

"We struggled with our behaviour and knowing that we've got something to work towards and to motivate us will make us think more before we do things," said Amoree.

"In mainstream too they sort of give up on you don't they, whereas here, they believe in us."

"Now we're not known as bad kids. We have our problems but we can work," Aliyah added.

PRUs are meant to offer a short-term placement for pupils who have been excluded from school or are at risk of exclusion, or others who are not going to school because of emotional health and wellbeing needs.

While the aim of this type of education is to offer a fresh start so young people can return to mainstream school, because learners are older at Bryn y Deryn, the focus is on helping them move on to the next steps - college, training or a job.

Head Fiona Simpson said many of the ideas people have about PRUs are outdated and it has not been helped by young people who go there being portrayed "in quite a poor light" in TV programmes.

"Once learners are here and they've settled in and they've got into the rhythm of how we work as a school I would expect that 90% of the time they are behaving and they are learning and they are enjoying their school experience", she said.

The aim is to make sure school is "their safe space" and the head says there are clear expectations once they come through the gates.

"So whilst we have some young people who might have some difficult challenges outside school for one reason or another, once they're here, we very often see a very different young person," said Ms Simpson.

"I think it's quite nice for them to feel relaxed during the day… because they can be young people, not trying to be adults or taking on extra responsibilities or carers or you name all the things that our young people have to go through."

They try to strike a balance between making sure learners get their qualifications including GCSEs and BTECs and working on social skills.

If they have "a great job because you've got great GCSEs but you're still very angry and you fall out with your boss on the first day and lose your job, we haven't done a very good job here," said Ms Simpson.

Groups of pupils are smaller with staff on hand to offer specialist support, the curriculum is more flexible and learners spend time off site in other projects.

While half of the learners have gone to Bryn y Deryn because of behaviour, the other half in the "Carnegie" section are there because they have not been going to school, mainly because of anxiety.

Amelia, 15, found mainstream school "too overwhelming - too many lights, too many sounds, too much going on".

"Here it feels much calmer. It feels like a much safer place to learn".

She would like to get good GCSEs, go on to A-levels and pursue a career in musical theatre.

She said she feels "they like students to be one certain way and there isn't any room to be yourself" in mainstream education.

"I feel like here there's much more room to be who you want to be and grow in to what you want to do."

Overall, Cardiff council has provided 1,747 specialist learning places for pupils with emotional health and wellbeing needs - including PRUs - this year.

It estimates this number will grow, although the emphasis will be on providing support within mainstream schools where possible.

A report for Cardiff council's cabinet said permanent exclusions and anxiety related non-attendance in schools had "increased significantly" since 2019/20.

"Although this may be a short-term impact of the pandemic, this may be part of a new longer-term trend," it said.

And the education inspectorate Estyn said since the pandemic, local authorities reported an increase referral rates for places outside mainstream.

It said more were being referred with significant social, emotional and mental-health needs "rather than behavioural needs which has historically been the case".

The leavers' ceremony is an important part of the calendar for Year 11s, where awards are handed out and families get a chance to celebrate with them.

Richard proudly showed his daughter's multiple awards, including most improved learner in science.

"She didn't want to speak to anyone and didn't want to do anything so the school have improved her to be the person that she wanted to be," he said.

Chantelle's family have come out in force to cheer her on and mum Tara described the leavers' ceremony as "very emotional."

"She's come such a long way and I'm proud. I'm very proud of the young woman she's become."

Chantelle, 15, said she has "absolutely loved it" at Bryn y Deryn, "even the ups and downs, it's all just been a good rollercoaster."

She now plans to study beauty at college.

Kaydyn, 16, plans to take up a course in construction in the autumn.

The school was "fun, I had a laugh", he said, but at the same time it "definitely" improved his behaviour.

He said he "wouldn't have got to this point if it weren't for the school. Because I got kicked out of my first school. So in a way they saved me".

Ms Simpson does not deny the challenges of working in a PRU and described it as "a little bit like Marmite".

"You either absolutely love it or you can't do it.

"The young people are amazing. They're so much fun.

"And when you see them making even the smallest step forward and for some of them the most massive steps forward, that gives me and my staff much more satisfaction than when we were working in mainstream."