A BIG shake-up in the way vulnerable students are dealt with in secondary schools in the Scarborough, Ryedale and Whitby area is likely to see 41 tutors and non-teaching staff made redundant says North Yorkshire County Council.

The authority has given the go-ahead for what it describes as a major project to improve the education and welfare of vulnerable young people in the area.

County Coun John Watson, the authority's executive member for schools says almost £700,000 will be spent on the project.

It will enable three groups of secondary schools to take increased responsibility for pupils who are likely to be excluded from school, persistent truants and others who currently have difficulty finding a school place.

"Working together the schools will invest the money in new and different teaching methods to provide an appropriate curriculum and intervene earlier to prevent difficulties," he said.

Coun Watson said the project was in response to the Government's drive to have all secondary schools as part of a group working to improve the management of pupil behaviour by September 2007.

The schools will also take direct responsibility for children who are too ill to attend school and who are educated at home.

The pupil referral unit at Scarborough will continue to work with the groups of schools said Coun Watson, and health and social services will be encouraged to be involved.

"This is a serious and challenging initiative which should be welcome by everyone.

"It's a positive development to improve the life chances of some groups of young people who are at risk of under achieving or exclusion, without harming the education prospects of other children.

"The county council will rigorously monitor developments to ensure that this investment delivers a better outcome for everyone concerned."

However a total of 41 tutors and non teaching staff who currently educate children and young people have been told that they are potentially redundant said Coun Watson.

"The council has promised to work with the schools concerned to keep the number of redundancies to a minimum with as many tutors as possible being provided with alternative employment."

Updated: 15:53 Wednesday, July 27, 2005