Alternative Provision
When a child is at risk of permanent exclusion, or would benefit from support outside of the school setting, schools can commission Alternative Provision (AP).
Alternative Provision includes educational establishments which are not mainstream, academy, special or private/independent schools.
Pupil Referral Units and Medical Needs/Tuition Services are considered alternative provision.
Schools and the local authority also use Further Education Colleges and Sixth Form Centres for alternative provision for 14 – 16 year olds.
Although legislation (Alternative Provision, Statutory guidance for local authorities: January 2013) does not apply to Academies, they are able to arrange off site provision under their general powers set out in the Academy Trust’s Articles of Association regulations and guidance.
- What can be expected from Alternative Provision
- Power of schools to direct a student off-site
- The review process
- Refer a child - for schools and practitioners only
- Contact
What can be expected from Alternative Provision
Students in alternative provision should receive the same amount of education as they would receive in a maintained school, unless it is not appropriate, for example for a student with a medical condition.
Alternative provision must meet the needs of students and enable them to achieve ‘good’ to ‘outstanding’ educational attainment level with their mainstream peers, while the needs which require intervention are addressed.
The length of time a student spends in alternative provision will depend on what best supports the students’ needs and potential educational attainment.
Any child or young person placed by a school in alternative education provision, either full or part time, remains the responsibility of the school, retains their place on the roll of that school and is dual registered (registered at both the school and AP).
The school remains responsible for the monitoring and tracking of attainment, attendance, behaviour and safeguarding of their students placed in alternative provision.
Power of schools to direct a student off-site
Governing bodies of maintained schools have the power to direct a student off-site for education to improve his or her behaviour.
This is not a permanent exclusion. Under this power the student would have a right to return to school once the targets for improved behaviour have been met.
The guidance indicates that ‘where possible, parents should be engaged in the decision taken by the school to direct a student off-site’. This is different from a situation where a school is consulting with child and family about prospective permanent placement in alternative provision. However, it is good practice for a school to seek agreement with the child and family.
The review process
The child, parents and all professionals involved must be clear why, when, where, and how the placement will be reviewed.
Reviews should be frequent enough to provide assurance that the off-site education is achieving its objectives and that the student is benefiting from it.
Alternative provision used for this purpose must undergo the same rigorous quality assurance processes as those implemented for longer term placement.
Parents and the local authority can request in writing, that the governing body review the placement. When this happens, governing bodies must comply with the request as soon as reasonably practicable, unless there has already been a review in the previous 10 weeks.
Refer a child
Only school professionals and local authority practitioners can submit referrals to the Haringey Alternative Provision Inclusion Panel.
The panel meets weekly each Wednesday morning during term time.
The referral will be triaged for consideration prior to being heard at panel, and the council may sign-post referrers to other services if appropriate.
Referrals must include as much information as possible regarding the child to support a panel decision on the support required for the child.
To refer online, please complete the dedicated referral form:
Role of the panel
The panel:
- ensures that children and young people’s needs are assessed and supported as early as possible and within their school setting, to keep them on an inclusive educational pathway to enable the best educational outcomes for the child.
- provides support, recommendations and decisions for schools to access local authority commissioned alternative provision pathways ensuring this is in the child’s best interests and in accordance with statutory duties.
- is the authority to agree access to the following provision and services:
- Respite and Reintegration Provision
- Tuition in the Community- medical needs (KS1-4)
- Outreach: Mainstream outreach includes Primary Outreach, Transitions Outreach and SAFE Transitions & Secondary Outreach (KS1-4)
- Sixth Day Permanent Exclusion Provision (this may be retrospective and ratified)
- Social Emotional and Mental Health Needs (KS 3-4)
- Pupils where a secondary school place has not been offered, including managed moves, pupils new to the area
- Managed transfers from mainstream to AP
Contact
Phone: 020 8489 3873 or 07790 932 664