#Pru on bbc iplayer series
#Pru on bbc iplayer tv

I think he expected me to leave the room and never come back and if I am honest, I think he wanted me to do that because then it would reinforce to him that he was not worth anyone’s time. I saw this comment from him as a test, I was new and he wanted to test boundaries and see how I would react. I stared at him and told him that I was looking forward to getting to know him more in the session. I walked into a classroom where I was due to run a listening group.Ī student approached me and told me that he was going to spit on me.

#Pru on bbc iplayer series

The series is also accurate in its depiction of some of the behaviours displayed towards external providers/ organisations. I remember my first day at a PRU. The series also accurately showed the many situations that PRU staff have to deal with on a daily basis and how no day is the same.

Like in the programme, the key to deescalating these situations is understanding the young people’s triggers. I witnessed this whilst working in a PRU. In the programme there are several instances where the young people argue with each other and lash out at their teachers. For example, the young people being able to talk to their teachers about their concerns and the teachers also recognising something is wrong even if the young people don’t want to open up. It accurately shows the important role that relationships play. So how accurate is the PRU series on BBC iplayer? At the PRU I not only learnt about young people but I also learnt a lot about myself and the ways that SIWYC should and should not engage with young people. The young people in the PRU were great and they helped to create our first ever service, now known as the Switch Ambassador Programme. This included not feeling listened to at their mainstream school, feeling let down and feeling like they were disposable to society.Īn image which shows the words that young people used to describe how exclusions make them feel But there were also key similarities in the themes that kept coming up regarding how the young people felt about their exclusion, their mainstream school and society. Different behaviour resulted in them being sent to the PRU for example, throwing a chair, swearing at their teacher, verbally abusing other students, making silly noises and leaving the classroom without permission. So, I spent over five weeks in the PRU learning from young people. It has always been important in my eyes to involve those who are impacted by something in the solution. It can also be that pupils that are victims of severe bullying, have long-term illnesses or pupils who are pregnant or young mothers.īefore I started SIWYC I wanted to better understand and hear from young people why they ended up in PRUs, so I decided the best way to find out would be to spend some time working in a PRU. These circumstances can include permanent (or risk of) exclusion from their mainstream school for behaviour, being diagnosed with special educational needs (SEN), mental health issues and social, emotional and behavioural difficulties. A PRU provides an education for children who are not attending a mainstream school due to particular circumstances. Before I got into this sector, I did not understand what it was either. I am sure many of you are wondering what a PRU is.

#Pru on bbc iplayer tv

It’s because of this that I wanted to reflect on the new TV series streaming on BBC iPlayer called “ PRU”.

SIWYC exists to empower young people who are at risk of school exclusion or need support with their personal development to overcome obstacles and cultivate happy, positive and fulfilling futures. I founded Say It With Your Chest (SIWYC) to help prevent young people from being excluded. Working in the education sector I have come across lots of young people who would be sent to Pupil Referral Units (PRUS) because of their behaviour (disruptive behaviour being the most common reason for exclusions). In this blog she reflects on the new BBC Three comedy PRU and how it mirrors the reality she has seen throughout her career. Say It With Your Chest exists to empower young people who are at risk of school exclusion or need support with their personal development to overcome obstacles and cultivate happy, positive and fulfilling futures. Sabrina Jones is the Founder and CEO of a not-for-profit called Say It With Your Chest.