A BOURNEMOUTH school is leading the way in providing alternative education for some of the town’s most challenging pupils.

Teenagers at risk of permanent exclusion from mainstream schools are flourishing at the Alternative Centre for Education (ACE), based at Bicknell School in Boscombe East.

The government recently announced that alternative education must be considered as important as mainstream and special schools.

And ACE, which has already been operating for two years, has been so successful that its head has been asked to advise on similar projects across the country.

Brian Hooper, executive head teacher of the Bournemouth Alternative Needs Federation, has been appointed as a national leader of education and the federation as a national support school.

Head of ACE Sian Thomas said schools across the area can refer pupils likely to be permanently excluded without intervention. There are currently 32 students from years 10 and 11 of a number of local schools.

Each has an individual timetable to meet their needs covering a range of vocational activities as well as one to one lessons in core subjects such as maths and English.

“This is another option for head teachers who can ‘buy in’ the service and we hope students will re-engage in mainstream school,” said Sian. “This is not a cheap or easy option for the schools but it helps them to keep that student on roll and aim for the best outcomes without disruption for other students.”

The federation currently supports around 200 children between the ages of five and 16 at a number of sites. The Nigel Bowes School at Ensbury Park is a short stay school which caters for those who have been excluded from school.

Sick and phobic children attend the Nigel Bowes site at Throop. The Bicknell School is a special school dealing with behavioural, emotional and social difficulties and ACE offers an alternative curriculum.