. . . to pupils excluded from school

Every child in Hull is entitled to a quality education, no matter how inappropriate and challenging their behaviour is in the classroom.
So says Julie Shave, the head teacher of the Ashwell Pupil Referral Unit in Greatfield, east Hull.
The unit takes in pupils who have been excluded from the city's secondary and special schools.
But at Ashwell they are given the support they need to make a new start.
"There are always many and often complex reasons for disruptive behaviour," says Julie.
"It can be family breakdown, emotional problems, a learning difficulty that has not been recognised, or a culture of low expectation that can make a child feel education is not important.
"It's my job to have the patience and understanding to see beyond a child's disruptive behaviour, and create a safe environment where pupils allow us to work with them to address their needs.
"I make the difference by enabling pupils who have been excluded from mainstream schools to re-engage in education."
If pupils have been excluded on one previous occasion, they may only have a short stay at Ashwell until another mainstream school takes them in.
However, if pupils have been excluded twice then Hull schools are no longer obliged to accept them and their stay becomes permanent.
"We place a lot of emphasis on building positive working relationships between teachers and pupils," adds Julie, who manages a team of 25 staff.
"I stress the importance of personal responsibility and ensure pupils understand how their actions have consequences that can affect the feelings of other people.
"We have very high expectations of pupils both socially and academically and we never give up on any child."
And Julie's approach is working. Pupils arrive at Ashwell with literacy levels behind that of other children in their age group, but go on to achieve results in maths and science that are above both the Hull average and very often the national average.
"I always make a point of telling pupils that I wasn't born a head teacher and that my job wasn't handed to me on a plate," Julie adds.
"I had to work hard at school, pass exams, and then work hard in my career and the same applies to them. I make them understand the importance of education and how it is the key to improving their chances in life."
Ashwell Pupil Referral Unit will relocate to the former Dales Primary School in Bransholme in September.