Some PRUs provide education for children and young people with behavioural needs who have been excluded from their school, or who are at risk of exclusion. Some PRUs provide education for teenage parents or children who are school phobic. Some PRUs are known as ‘medical’ PRUs.

There are over 1,000 teachers in Pupil Referral Units in NUT membership. The NUT believes that pupil referral units should be part of a continuum of joined up provision. The role of pupil referral units ought to be to seek to re-integrate pupils wherever possible. Most PRUs are expert at building and maintaining links with their local primary or secondary schools. You can read the NUT policy statement on pupil referral units and proposed government changes here.