Guidance on Alternative Provision

Alternative provision is required in education when a child would benefit from an alternate approach to traditional schooling. If you work in mainstream education, are responsible for providing alternative provisions or are a parent wanting to understand more about it, then this article will help you understand everything you need to know. In this article, we’ll outline what alternative provision is, the key benefits, and provide guidance on how to best support children to achieve their full potential.

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What is Alternative Provision?

Alternative provision (AP) is when a child is provided with an alternative to mainstream schooling. Many educational settings provide AP in order to cater for pupils who are unable to achieve their potential in a traditional school environment, for whatever reason.

All children should expect to receive the same high standard of education, regardless of their needs, background or circumstances. The aim of alternative provision is to therefore ensure that all children are given the same level of teaching and the best quality of education, no matter where or how they are being taught.

In the UK, Section 19 of the Education Act 1996 states that local authorities must arrange suitable, full-time education for children of compulsory school age who, for whatever reason, would not receive suitable education without such provision being arranged.

All alternative provisions must be suitable for the specific child’s age, abilities, aptitude and any special educational needs (SEN) they may have. Every child, no matter their needs, should be given the opportunity to achieve, overcome their barriers to achievement and thrive in the education system.

Why Children May be Offered Alternative Provision

There are many reasons why a child may not be receiving a suitable education and so are offered alternative provision. Reasons include:

• Exclusion from school or risk of permanent exclusion.
• Suspension from school.
• Long-term absence from education.
• Refusing to attend school.
• Behavioural issues.
• Mental health issues, such as anxiety or depression.
• Illness or medical issues.
• Special educational needs or disabilities (SEND).
• Social difficulties.
• School-age pregnancy.
• The child is a young carer.
• The child is an asylum seeker or refugee.

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Alternative Provision Examples

Examples of types of alternative provision include:

Pupil Referral Units (PRUs)

PRUs are the most popular type of alternative provision and are a type of school that caters specifically for children who can’t attend mainstream school in the UK. Pupil referral units are smaller than mainstream schools, have smaller class sizes, are highly structured environments and provide lots of additional support for students. Children commonly attend a PRU if they’ve been excluded from school, or are at risk of exclusion.

Vocational Centres or Alternative Provision Academies

These types of AP schools offer an alternative education that has a more flexible, holistic curriculum that addresses both the academic and personal needs of students. Vocational centres and academies provide hands-on training and work placements alongside traditional classroom learning to help students gain vocational qualifications.

Special Schools

Special schools are educational settings designed specifically for children with special educational needs or disabilities (SEND), whether it’s a specific learning difficulty, physical disability, cognitive difference, sensory need or neurodivergent condition like autism or ADHD. Special schools provide targeted support to help these students overcome their barriers to learning and achieve their full educational potential.

Outdoor Learning Centres

Outdoor education includes forest school, animal therapy centres and outdoor activity centres where the natural world is used as a tool for learning. Outdoor learning centres provide students with a hands-on, multi-sensory and holistic learning experience that encourages social, spiritual, emotional and physical development, alongside the traditional school curriculum.

Hospital Schools

Some pupils are unable to attend traditional classroom-based schooling because they have a long-term medical condition or illness. Some may also have a short-term injury or illness that requires a stay in hospital. To prevent these children from missing out on their education, hospital schools are located within hospitals and offer tailored teaching specifically for those children with additional medical needs.

Online Learning and Remote Education

Remote learning can help students to learn in their own time, at home, and stay connected when they cannot get to the classroom for whatever reason. However, it should only be seen as a short-term approach, and the Department for Education states that digital learning, distance learning and remote education should only be considered as an alternative provision when other teaching methods have been ruled out. This is because face-to-face schooling is much more beneficial for children’s attainment and wellbeing.

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Benefits of Alternative Provision

Offering AP to students ensures all children have the opportunity to achieve their potential and attain the same qualifications as their peers in mainstream education. Other key benefits of alternative provision include:

• Teaching and learning can be personalised to individual children and their needs, meaning they are fully supported and are given everything they need to succeed.
• The support students receive helps with all aspects of their life, not just their educational attainment. A holistic approach means students are helped with emotional, social and behavioural needs alongside academic ones.
• Teaching is much more flexible, enabling teachers to provide the curriculum in the way that’s best for their students and in an environment that best suits them.
• Class sizes are usually a lot smaller than in mainstream classrooms, so one-on-one support is more frequent and higher quality.
• For students with sensory needs and who may experience sensory overload in busy classrooms, AP provides a calmer, quieter and less overwhelming learning environment.
• Providing students with a different way of learning can help re-engage children with their education, giving them a new opportunity to put their past behind them and move forward.
• The supportive environment of AP helps children to feel more valued, understood and acknowledged, which leads to improved attendance and a reduction in challenging behaviour.

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Alternative Provision Guidance

As a teacher, it’s your role to do your best to ensure that every child has the opportunity to achieve their full potential. By providing alternative provision to students who need it, you can rest assured that you’re doing all you can to ensure this is the case.

However, whilst highly beneficial, AP can also be challenging. Pupils need support throughout their AP and you’ll need to overcome their challenges and barriers to learning together. Consider our alternative provision guidance below to help you and your students get the most out of their learning experience:

• Involve children in decision-making about their education wherever possible, as far as their age and health allow. This helps to ensure the right AP is given to the child, encourages them to be engaged with their learning and shows you are respectful of their wishes and maturity.
• Remember that AP is not meant to be a punishment for a child, especially if they’re receiving it as a result of challenging behaviour or suspension from school. AP is meant to be a way of supporting children, helping them to resolve their issues and ensuring they have opportunities equal to their peers.
• Communication is key throughout AP, including between the AP provider and mainstream schools, between the local authority and the AP provider, between teachers and parents and between teachers and students. Families should be involved at all times.
• The aim of AP is to help reintegrate students back into mainstream, full-time education. Students shouldn’t expect to receive AP permanently and should be encouraged to feel valued, confident and engaged enough to re-enter the mainstream schooling system where possible.

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Alternative provision (AP) plays a vital role in ensuring that all children, regardless of their circumstances, receive a high-quality education tailored to their individual needs. AP supports students to overcome barriers to learning and helps them achieve personal and academic success, just like their peers in mainstream education.

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Further Resources:

• CPD Courses for Teaching and Education
• ABC Chart for Challenging Behaviour: Free Template
• Understanding Children Missing Education (CME)