The PiPeLine Productions Academy for the Urban Arts was set up in partnership with Artworks Creative Communities with a £100,000 grant from the Youth Opportunities Fund as an Alternative Provision, taking referrals from schools of pupils aged 11-16 who were disengaging with the usual education process. These might be young people who are disruptive in class, on the verge of exclusion, excluded from site, or pupils with low to zero attendance. The absolute main aim of the provision is, where appropriate, to get pupils to re-engage and re-attend school in the usual way although it is recognised that this is not always possible or even always completely desirable. The Academy primarily used the Urban Arts, among other subjects, to deliver elements of traditional subjects in a way that might potentially resonate with some of these pupils but as the provision has evolved over the years it’s come to have a strong focus on maths and english followed by qualifications in Music Technology, Interactive Media, Business & Enterprise, and Art & Design.

Our morning sessions are usually devoted to working on GCSE English and Mathematics. In the afternoon we work on our “core” subjects, working towards V-Cert qualifications. Alongside these subjects, we take time out to engage in sporting activities such as five-a-side football, Badminton, and Boxercise and other subjects centred on developing life-skills and a wider knowledge of life. We specialise in working with hard to reach young people but we generally try to take referrals for young people who have a spark of interest in even one of the elements we offer.

We have limited places and on any given day we currently offer a maximum of 25 pupil places per day (each given pupil, a maximum for three days per week in any one of our provisions). This enables us to offer focused attention and tuition and keeps problematic group dynamics to a minimum.

Our day is divided into the following session times:
9.00am-10am – Breakfast.
10am-10.55am – Session One
10.55am-11.10am – Break
11.10am-12noon – Session Two
12noon-12.45pm – Lunchtime
12.45pm-1.40pm – Session Three
1.40pm-1.55pm – Break
1.55pm-2.45pm – Session Four – Tutorial/PSHE/Creative
2.45pm – Finish

Our policies, procedures, and various forms, including referral forms, can be found here:
http://www.hiphopacademy.co.uk/policies-procedures-and-forms/