A proposal to convert Cornwall’s  'Short Stay Schools' into a new academy has been finalised.

The new Acorn Academy Cornwall officially came into being on June 1, sponsored by Acorn Care and Education, a providers of care and education for vulnerable children.

The proposal was given the go ahead by members of the former Council’s Cabinet last year.

The schools, which provide education for pupils who have been excluded or are unable to be educated in a mainstream school, involved in the project are:

• North Cornwall Alternative Provision Academy

• Restormel Alternative Provision Academy

• Caradon Alternative Provision Academy

• Glynn House Alternative Provision Academy

• Nine Maidens Alternative Provision Academy

• Penwith Alternative Provision Academy

• Community and Hospital Education Service Alternative Provision Academy

“This new multi academy trust will deliver high quality provision for vulnerable young people in Cornwall” said Trevor Doughty, director of Cornwall’s Children’s Services Authority.

“We chose Acorn as a sponsor for this project as they are recognised as one of the UK’s leading providers of care and education for the most vulnerable and hardest to place young children, with a proven track record and specialist expertise in this area.”

The Trust will be governed under a two tier structure comprising one group of members (representatives of the sponsor and an independent member appointed in consultation with the existing pupil referral units and the council) and a group of directors who will be responsible for running the Trust.

The directors’ group will include two "parent" directors, five academy directors (expected to be chairs of the Local Governing Bodies), one appointed by the local authority and an executive principal.

The current leadership team of the executive headteacher and the seven headteachers for each will remain in place, with the headteachers responsible for their day to day running.

Cornwall currently has three maintained special schools and one special school with Academy status, as well as nineteen Area Resource Bases (ARBs) based in schools for pupils with Special Educational Needs. It also has seven Short Stay Schools (formerly known as Pupil Referral Units) which provide education for pupils who have been excluded or are unable to be educated in a mainstream school.

There are currently up to 300 pupils from Cornwall who are receiving alternative provision, with the conversion funded by the Department for Education, in line with all other Academy converter projects.