THIS WEEK IN 1997: £50k scheme to cut school exclusions

This would meet half the cost of an initiative set up to prevent disaffected teenagers opting out of mainstream education.

The scheme, named Project Warrior after the city’s tourist attraction, was given a share of £5m under the government’s New Start initiative.

The cash was awarded because there were 110 permanent exclusions among 11 to 16-year-olds between September 1996 and July 1997 .

The scheme was to target those most likely to be excluded.

Fourteen to 17-year-olds would be offered a range of work experience, voluntary work or vocational training – each tailor-made to their individual needs.