main content Council makes major investment in the future of its most vulnerable young people

Young people unable to continue their education within a mainstream school will benefit when the Kingswood Centre in Hayes Lane re-opens on Thursday, 27 September. Almost £3 million has been provided by Bromley Council to create an educational setting that mirrors a mainstream environment and delivers a curriculum appropriate to the needs of vulnerable students.

Councillor Ernest Noad, Cabinet Executive Member for Children and Young People states

“Enabling every child and young person in the borough to fulfil their potential and make the best of their life chances is our priority. The Kingswood Centre has always striven to support its students and this investment will significantly improve its services. A key objective is to provide the earliest opportunity for students to resume their education in a mainstream setting or, where more appropriate, move on to vocational training.”

British Gymnast, James McGranaghan will attend the re-opening, where he will be invited by Bromley’s Mayor, Councillor Pauline Tunnicliffe, to work with some of the students in a number of workshops. James runs his own gymnastics academy and works with young people to develop their sporting potential and personal confidence.

The Kingswood Centre is a key part of the Council’s Behaviour Service and this new provision will represent a major development within the Borough’s Behaviour Strategy. The custom built Centre includes Food Technology, Science and ICT facilities. The design including the central hall/dining room, with class rooms clustered around it, gives a feeling of space and creates a community atmosphere. Appropriate sized and equipped rooms cater for small group teaching, which forms the basis of the curriculum for the pupils. The unit can offer the core curriculum for Key Stage 4 with a limited range of option subjects and personalised learning to maximise the pupils' prior learning and subject choices. The rooms include small meeting rooms where pupils can work on their own or meet with other teaching and support professionals.

The playground is marked out for organised games and the pupils can continue to use the playing fields and other local sports facilities for their PE and break time activity. A fully functioning kitchen means that breakfast and lunch can be provided.

A number of support services are also co-located at the Centre including, the Behaviour Service Management Team, Counselling Team , Foundation Stage and Primary Outreach Team, Key Stage 4 alternative provision, home tuition , Reintegration Team (including Connexions personal advisors).

ENDS 

For media enquiries, please contact John Skillicorn-Aston, Communications Officer, on 020 8313 4310 or email john.skillicorn-aston@bromley.gov.uk