Alternative Provision: Education Other than School

 

Local authorities are responsible for arranging suitable education for permanently excluded pupils, and for other pupils who – because of illness or other reasons – would not receive suitable education without such arrangements being made.
Governing bodies of schools are responsible for arranging suitable full-time education from the sixth day of a fixed period exclusion. Schools may also direct pupils off-site for education, to help improve their behaviour.

 

 

An AP (Alternative Provision) provider must be registered as an Independent school if it meets the criteria for registration (that it provides full-time education to five or more full-time pupils of compulsory school age or one such pupil who is looked-after or has a statement of SEN). All AP Academies and AP Free Schools must be registered as independent schools whether or not they are full-time or part-time.

 

 

Here are some of the different types of alternative education

  • Pupil referral Unit (PRU) This exists to help children find their way back into mainstream schooling or onto a vocational pathway that better meets their needs. Many children and young people who go to the PRU have experienced difficulties caused by their behaviour

 

  • AP Academies and AP free schools

 

  • Independent Schools (registered) provides full-time education to five or more full-time pupils of compulsory school age or one such pupil who is looked-after or has a statement of SEN)

 

  • Independent Schools (unregistered)

 

  • AP Units

 

  • AP in Special Schools

 

  • AP in Further Education (FE)

 

  • Elective Home Education - You must notify the Council if you intend to educate at home. The first step is to request a pack from the Council. You can do this by either emailing: electivehomeeducation@southwark.gov.uk or by calling: 0207 525 4780.  Find out more about Elective Home Education here.

 

  • Online learning -  This can offer a solution where there are significant barriers to a child or young person physically attending a school. There are online providers which offer a subscription package

 

Schools directing offsite for education

The definition of alternative provision is as follows: education arranged by local authorities for pupils who, because of exclusion, illness or other reasons, would not otherwise receive suitable education; education arranged by schools for pupils on a fixed period exclusion; and pupils being directed by schools to off-site provision to improve their behaviour.

 

Schools may also direct pupils off-site for education, to help improve their behaviour

 

Power of schools to direct a pupil off-site for education to improve behaviour

 

  •  Governing bodies of maintained schools have the power to direct a pupil off-site for education to improve his or her behaviour. The Secretary of State has made regulations, as is required by the related primary legislation, concerning schools’ use of this power.

 

 Under revised off-site regulations the governing body must:

 

  •  ensure that parents (and the local authority where the pupil has an Education, Health and Care Plan) are given clear information about the placement: why, when, where, and how it will be reviewed;

 

  •  keep the placement under review and involve parents in the review. The regulations specify regular reviews but do not specify how often reviews must take place (that should be decided on a case-by-case basis). Reviews should be frequent enough to provide assurance that the off-site education is achieving its objectives and that the pupil is benefitting from it; and

 

  • have regard to guidance from the Secretary of State on the use of this power – statutory guidance on this issue can be found here.

 

This legislation does not apply to Academies. They can arrange off-site provision for similar purposes under their general powers, set out in the Academy Trust’s Articles of Association. Though the regulations and guidance do not apply, they can provide Academies with an example of good practice.

 

Full statutory guidance on Alternative Provision can be found here.

Any alternative provision listed in the Local Offer does not represent an endorsement or indicate that Southwark local authority have quality assured a specific provider. The list aims to help both parents and schools to know what is available locally.

 

Quality assurance of alternative provision is the responsibility of the commissioner. It is advisable to check with the person arranging alternative provision what arrangements they have made to ensure the suitability and quality of provision for your child.