NEW alternative schools to help vulnerable children failing within today's 'linear and academic' curriculum are set to be created in Carlisle and Barrow.

Council bosses have backed a plan to develop two 40 place units to provide specialised education for pupils with social, emotional or mental health needs.

It is hoped the move will halt the escalating number of youngsters being excluded from mainstream schools and alleviate pressure on the area's overstretched pupil referral units.

They are to be created within buildings already owned by Cumbria County Council; the former Elizabeth Welsh House care home in Carlisle, and Combe House on Walney Island in Barrow. Both closed last year.

Councillor Sue Sanderson, the council's education chief, explained the move would form part of the county's inclusion strategy.

She added that cuts to school funding had led to fewer front line support staff in the county's classrooms, resulting in more youngster being excluded.

Cllr Sanderson, a former headteacher of a special needs school, said: "At all schools there are always some children who struggle for a variety of reasons.

"In 2017/18 there have been changes within the curriculum which mean there is an additional 30 per cent of knowledge that children need to know.

"That, coupled with a change in the style of assessment to linear - instead of modular, means there are more vulnerable children who are becoming disenfranchised from the education system.

"Alternative provision provides an alternative to a small number of vulnerable children and it will help them to succeed, not fail.

"It gives them options and choices for the future."

The move to create an overall inclusion strategy for Cumbria won the backing of the council's cabinet committee at a meeting this week.

It will encompass the new alternative provision centres with the James Rennie Scheme and the Queen Katherine School/Sandgate Schools special educational needs schemes, with all now falling under the same remit.

Children from Cumbria struggling to fit into the government's academic curriculum are offered alternative provision.

However, this can be out of county and is expensive, with day places costing an average of £24,132 per child per year, and the equivalent place in south Cumbria running to £47,813.

Council bosses state creating two 40-place alternative provision schools in the north and south of Cumbria will be better for children and will help provide a more cost effective scheme.

They will be run by the headteachers at existing pupil referral units, and a total of 15 places at each site would be allocated to youngsters with social, emotional or mental health needs.

A similar model of alternative provision is already up and running at Richmond House, in Whitehaven.

The new inclusion scheme was welcomed by Councillor Anne Burns, cabinet member for children's services.

She said: "This is an exciting proposal.

"These children really need that extra help and guidance to succeed."

Stewart Young, council leader, added: "A tremendous amount of work has gone into this, and it is the right strategy going forwards."