Recommendation 17

A key reason for the delay was that the Ministry did not foresee the need for new legislation to underpin the secure school model which relied on established as a 16–19 academy, but also approved as a SCH. HMPPS appointed a charitable provider— Oasis Charitable Trust (Oasis)—in July 2019 before there was the legislation to allow for secure schools as proposed to be run by charities.54 Oasis runs 52 academies in England and works with homeless or vulnerably-houses young adults, but has not previously provided secure accommodation for children.55 However as an education provider, HMPPS told us it is confident that it will be able to provide specialist education for children with special educational needs or behavioural difficulties.56 HMPPS told us that it purposely appointed the provider early as it wanted them to be involved in creating the secure school model.57 The Ministry subsequently included clauses in the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts (PCSC) Bill to permit a secure school to be registered as a charity.58 The PCSC Bill received Royal Assent on 28th April 2022.59