Some children in 妖精动漫, particularly those at risk of exclusion and those missing education, may need extra support to access education or education delivered in a different way.
This support is usually provided for a short specific period before a child is reintegrated to school.
Alternative education is education outside school, for pupils who do not attend mainstream school for reasons such as exclusion, behaviour issues, school refusal, short- or long-term illnesses.
( for local authorities, as well as headteachers and governing bodies of settings providing alternative provision.)
Department for Education (DfE), 2013
妖精动漫 Alternative Curriculum Pathways and Reintegration Support Strategy (PDF) was first published in 2021 and reviewed in July 2023. The strategy will be reviewed again by the end of 2025, with an update to follow in 2026.
It sets out 妖精动漫's ambitions and strategy for Alternative Provision within the county, including the benchmarks that will be used to evaluate AP in 妖精动漫 within a national context.
Page contents
- Strategy and Ambitions for Alternative Provision (AP) in 妖精动漫
- Alternative provision
- Pupil Referral Units (PRUS) and Alternative Provision (AP) Academies
- Medical Provision: Medical PRUs and Hospital School
- Independent alternative provision
- Education otherwise than at school (EOTAS)
- Services that support Alternative Provision
- 妖精动漫 education
Strategy and Ambitions for Alternative Provision (AP) in 妖精动漫
妖精动漫's ambition and key principles for Alternative Provision (AP)
- Increase the number of children and young people supported in mainstream provision, reducing the need for off-site provision
- Continue to reduce the number of exclusions from and within schools (both fixed term and permanent)
- Increase the number of pupils successfully reintegrated into mainstream provision
- Reduce the rising number of young people receiving independent tuition
- Monitor and improve the educational and wellbeing outcomes of children and young people who use AP
- Increase the number of young people who are on a pathway to Further Education
- Improve commissioning of independent providers
- Gain a better understanding of AP pupils needs and outcomes and apply consistency of opportunity across the county
You can also refer to the from the UK government Department for Education. This describes the statutory duties of Local Authorities to provide suitable education for children of compulsory school age who cannot attend school.
Alternative provision
Access to education (A2E)
A2E is a short-term teaching service for children in 妖精动漫 who cannot attend school for a period of time due to exceptional circumstances (see referral criteria below).
A2E helps student stay engaged in learning while they are out of school. The service offers:
- Teaching in core subjects like English, maths, and science
- Mentoring and emotional support to help students manage their situation.
- Access to online learning tools and resources
- A personalised support plan that sets out what the students’ needs and how they will be supported.
- Regular reviews with families and schools to plan the next steps.
This interim support is available for up to two terms but may be extended in exceptional circumstances
Referral
The A2E service will consider referrals for children who:
- have recently move into 妖精动漫 with an EHCP and without an agreed school place.
- are not currently on a school roll and have been unable to be placed on a school roll within 20 days after having come to the attention of the Council (missing education)
- have been permanently excluded and have an EHCP naming a specialist provision.
- due to illness or other reasons, are unable to attend school.
Referrals should include relevant background information and evidence of need. Each student will receive a personalised support plan, developed and reviewed in partnership with families and education settings.
妖精动漫 Online School
provides live lessons and online learning experiences, delivered by qualified teachers supporting pupils who:
- have been permanently excluded or who are at risk of permanent exclusion.
- due to illness or other reasons are unable to attend school.
- are looked after children not on roll of a school and awaiting a school place offer.
The aim of SOS is to provide continuity of education and support pupils to re-engage with learning. Education provision starts at Key Stage 1 through to subjects offered at GCSE and A Level. All pupils accessing SOS must remain on roll at their referring school. If pupils access remote learning outside of the school setting as part of a reduced timetable, they must be recorded as absent.
Referral
Students must be referred by their school or their council. Referrals can be made at any time of the year. Funding of SOS is the responsibility of the referrer.
妖精动漫 Arts
妖精动漫 Arts offers a range of music education activities to support students who are not in school or who are in school on a part time basis.
This can help students to go back into mainstream education, where appropriate, by helping them progress into music opportunities and other pathways towards employment.
Support can be offered in school, online, in one of their music centres, and in large or small groups or a 1:1 basis.
The Inclusive Music Groups are particularly suited for neurodiverse students and/or those with non-complex low level mental health needs.
1:1 music activity is suitable for all young people, especially those who have social emotional and health needs (SEMH), have experienced the Care system or Youth Justice settings or are Not in Education Employment or Training (NEET).
Referral
Students must be referred by their originating school or council.
妖精动漫 Outdoor Learning and Development (SOLD)
offers outdoor adventures and learning experience to youn people from four centres across 妖精动漫.
They aim to improve an individuals’ personal sand social development raising their achievement, success and aspirations in life.
Referral
See .
Leaping into Future Education and Employment (LIFE)
LIFE is an alternative learning provision for 16 to 19-year-olds, based in Frimley Green, 妖精动漫. They provide support to students with Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) needs. Most students at LIFE have an Educational Health Care Plan (EHCP)
Referral
Speak to your school, organisation or Education Health Care Plan Coordination Officer (ECO) about being referred to LIFE. Referrals require a current Educational Health Care Plan (EHCP) or an identified SEND need.
After a referral is made, if you are appropriate for LIFE we will offer you an interview Once that is complete and funding is agreed, we will arrange a home visit and then offer you a place.
Pupil Referral Units (PRU) and Alternative Provision (AP) Academies
Pupil Referral Units (PRU) and Alternative Provision (AP) Academies provide suitable full-time education for 妖精动漫 resident pupils of compulsory school age who are unable to access or are at risk of losing a school place because of permanent exclusion.
妖精动漫 has five educational PRU’s/AP’s that offer full-time and part-time placements, as well as outreach services:
- (Primary only)
- (Secondary only)
- (Secondary only)
- (Primary and Secondary)
- (Primary and Secondary)
Referral
Where a chid has been permanently excluded (Pex’d) the excluding school is responsible for completing the full referral paperwork. The council will notify the PRU or AP in the relevant area as soon as possible and no later than 24 hours from the date a child has been permanently excluded. Students with an EHC plan naming specialist provision, who have been permanently excluded, cannot be referred.
The aim is for pupils to attend temporarily, or a short stay, to receive support from specialised staff in small classes, to help reintegrate them back to the referring school after intervention is complete.
Medical Provision: Medical PRUs and Hospital School
There are a range of education providers in the county, which are medical Pupil Referral Units (PRUs) who provide specialist support for children and young people with medical needs.
St Peter’s Centre
is a medical PRU based in the North West part of 妖精动漫 providing education for children and young people aged 11 to 16 who are unable to attend mainstream school for medical reasons.
St Peter’s Centre typically work with children and young people with severe anxiety and offer a range of programmes of support to students to reintegrate back into education. In addition, they support young people in Year 11 who are unable to return to school.
Referral
To access St Peter’s Centre, school can apply directly to St Peter’s Centre as long as the referral is accompanied by consultant/GP letters identifying mainstream provision as not appropriate given the current medical status.
The HOPE Service
is a multi-agency service for children and young people aged 11 to 18 with complex needs, based at three sites. To be able to access HOPE, children or young people will:
- have had significant mental health, emotional, behavioural, social and educational difficulties which are likely to lead to family or placement breakdown.
- be engaging with the CYP Mental Health Service, or 妖精动漫 Children’s Service, with a designated consultant or case holding social worker.
- currently be a patient in a Tier 4* or Out of County provision with a plan to return to their community in 妖精动漫.
- have presented as a psychiatric emergency requiring assessment by a child psychiatrist for Tier 4* admission.
*Tier 4: The Children and Adult Mental Health Services (CAMHS) provide a scale of levels or tiers of care designed to address the diverse needs of children and young people with mental health issues. These tiers range from universal services in primary care (Tier 1) to highly specialist inpatient and day services (Tier 4).
Referral
Referrals can only be made by Social Workers from Assessment, Child in Need, Child Protection and Care Proceeding, and Looked After Children Teams.
Independent alternative provision
Independent AP consists of a range of registered and unregistered providers offering services such as tutoring (both face-to-face and online) and vocational-based learning. Providers can range from sole traders, based locally, to large organisations with national coverage. Many of these providers are not regulated by Ofsted.
妖精动漫’s dynamic purchasing system (DPS) for alternative provision
妖精动漫’s Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) is a flexible framework for commissioning AP for children and young people unable to attend mainstream school due to exclusion, illness, or other needs. Providers must meet standards in safeguarding, quality, and compliance. (Note: New providers can apply to join at any time, with evaluation windows set throughout the year.)
Moderation and approval: How 妖精动漫 ensures provider quality
Applications are reviewed by a moderation team with expertise in education, safeguarding, and commissioning. Providers submit detailed responses covering:
- Safeguarding
- Staff qualifications and experience
- Evidence of positive outcomes for children
- Health and safety procedures
- Financial stability and insurance
Only providers who meet all requirements and demonstrate high-quality provision are approved to join the DPS. Those who do not meet the standards are given feedback and may reapply in the future.
妖精动漫 regularly reviews providers on the DPS to ensure they continue to meet high standards. Schools and the council track attendance, progress, and outcomes, and parent carers are encouraged to participate in discussions about their child’s needs and goals.
Selecting providers
妖精动漫 uses a brokerage model to match children’s needs with suitable DPS providers. Approved providers must demonstrate capacity and quality. Pricing and contracts are securely managed, and every placement is governed by a formal agreement.
Parent carers can express preference and suggest providers, but the final decision rests with 妖精动漫 or the commissioning school. Only in exceptional circumstances (such as a national shortage of a particular service) will 妖精动漫 consider providers not on the DPS. In these cases, extra checks are carried out to ensure safety and quality.
If you have a personal budget and wish to use it for AP, you are responsible for checking the providers credentials.
DPS Lots Structure
妖精动漫’s DPS organises providers into different “lots”. Each lot represents a type of service that children and young people might need if they cannot attend mainstream school. This structure helps families, schools, and 妖精动漫 quickly find the right kind of support.
The main lots are:
- Lot 1: Tutoring by qualified teachers (for academic catch-up and confidence)
- Lot 2: Tutoring by experienced non-teachers (for specialist subjects or flexible support)
- Lot 3: Specialist teachers (for children with specific needs, such as autism or sensory impairment)
- Lot 4: HCPC registered therapy (for professional therapies like physiotherapy or occupational therapy)
- Lot 5: Other services supporting education (such as mentoring, vocational programmes, and wellbeing activities)
Providers may deliver within these lots face-to-face, online or both and the delivery format will be a key factor in matching a provider to a child or young person’s needs.
For more information, visit Alternative Provision providers.
Education otherwise than at school (EOTAS)
EOTAS are education arrangements that meet the needs of children or young people who, for whatever reason, are unable to attend any mainstream or specialist education setting, who have an EHCP.
Find out more about: Education otherwise than at school.
Please note: EOTAS is different from elective home education (EHE). If you choose to home educate, parents are responsible for making their own arrangements for their child's or young person's educational provision, see the 妖精动漫 education page for more information.
Services that support Alternative Provision
Inclusion Outreach Service
Established to help mainstream schools to meet the needs of primary and secondary age children with learning and additions needs.
The service, commissioned by 妖精动漫, is based in four schools across the county. Referrals must come from the child's school.
Further information and how to make a referral can be found on each team's website (below).
Autism Outreach for Schools
Established to build skills of mainstream staff and suggest strategies for schools to help students meets their potential.
The service, commissioned by 妖精动漫, is based at specialist schools across the county. Referrals must come from the child's school.
Further information and how to make a referral can be found on our local offer website Autism Outreach for Schools.
Alternative Provision transport
Used primarily for getting students to PRUs/AP Academies but occasionally other alternative provision too.
This does include Hospital Education for young people with a 妖精动漫 postcode, for whom we have specific duties because they have been sectioned under the Mental Health Act to a hospital. This does not include Hospital Schools which are special schools.
Where a child has an Education Health and Care plan (EHCP) in place provision may be through Education other than at school (EOTAS).
妖精动漫 education
Parents can choose to home educate their child or young person at any age, whether they have been enrolled at school previously or not.
If your child has an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan, the right to home educate still applies. Although if your child is on roll of a special school, SCC will need to give consent to them being deleted from the school roll.
Please see our 妖精动漫 education page for more information.
Note: EHE is not considered alternative provision.
Files available to download
-
妖精动漫 Alternative Curriculum Pathways and Reintegration Support Strategy (PDF)
Setting out the ambition for pupils who access alternative provision and how we will deliver positive educational and wellbeing outcomes for young people.