Innovative Inclusion centres offer extra help for children and families

Manchester Council is leading the way with a £4.7m investment in the development of innovative inclusion centres that will support young people struggling with aspects of school and family life.

The six citywide centres will cater for high school aged pupils who need additional time and help to tackle issues that are hindering their learning.

They will offer classes, support, advice and skills focusing on emotional wellbeing and behaviour strategies to re-engage youngsters in the learning process.

Preventative in approach, the centres will offer short-term early intervention that will take place in one to one, family or small group sessions and will be run and used by a partnership of between four to six schools.

Subject matter will include leadership, aspiration, self-esteem and anti-bullying courses. There will also be work supporting pupils during the transition from year six to seven, children moving between schools and students returning to school after a prolonged absence.

The courses will be delivered by a range of staff and organisations including school staff, educational psychologists, art therapists, child and adolescent mental health workers, counselling services, mentors from local businesses, community nurses, drug and alcohol teams, educational psychologists, art therapists, police officers, community wardens, youth services and staff from Connexions.

Courses and sessions will all be short-term and delivered on a weekly or short course basis ranging from one or two sessions a week to a half a term programme.

The Inclusion centres are part of the City's Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme and each will cater for up to 16 young people.

They will be based on the site of existing schools: -

Gorton Education Village - opening October 2011

Chorlton High School - opening October 2011

Newall Green High School in Wythenshawe - opening date tbc

Burnage Media Arts College - opening date tbc

Abraham Moss High School in Crumpsall - opening September 2012

Manchester Creative and Media Academies in Blackley - opening January 2013

Councillor Afzal Khan, Manchester City Council Executive Member for Children's Services, says: "These centres are all about a short intensive intervention for young people who may need support around behavioural, emotional and social issues. The centres will focus on developing pupils social and emotional skills, with the involvement of parents and carers, and reintegrating them successfully back into mainstream school."

Each centre will be a shared and managed resource between four to six high schools and will aim to become centres of excellence for specific interventions and approaches to teaching and learning which benefit pupils with challenging behaviour.

The 300sq metre buildings will have classrooms, family rooms, meeting rooms, social spaces, an office, kitchen, community room and courtyard area.

The ultimate aim of the centres will be to increase attainment and engagement with learning for both identified young people and their families, by offering early intervention to reduce exclusions and persistent absence and improve behaviour.

The centres will also be available for learning and community use outside the school day, such as before and after school clubs, extra tuition, revision workshops and holiday activities.

The architects for the Inclusion Centres are Ellis Williams and Aedas, the contractors are Bramall Construction, GB Building Solutions and Lend Lease.