A pioneering project led by London Councils to improve the support given to young people who have been excluded from school has been awarded £525,000 by the government.

Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, Ed Balls, today announced the funding for the groundbreaking pilot programme, on behalf of the London Youth Crime Prevention Board (LYCPB) to overhaul pupil referral units (PRUs) across London

PRUs are run by local authorities and provide education for pupils who are either excluded from school because of misbehaviour, or unable to attend because of illness, pregnancy, or other reasons. In London, around 3,500 young people attend 76 PRUs.

Despite the best efforts of dedicated staff, young people who attend PRUs often leave with few or no qualifications and are more at risk of being involved in crime.

The three-year project being spearheaded by London Councils is a key priority for the multi-agency LYCPB. The initiative aims to improve the quality of education young people receive from PRUs by encouraging boroughs to:

• offer a broader curriculum which leads young people to gain recognised vocational as well as academic qualifications
• set up an online police support system to allow young people to report crime anonymously and build up links with police officers in the area
• work more closely with schools, colleges and the voluntary sector to boost the opportunities available to young people
• get pupils' families more involved in their education