Alternative Provision
What is Alternative Provision?
Section 19 of the Education Act 1996 sets out the legal duty for a local authority to provide suitable full-time education for compulsory school-age children who are unable to attend due to illness, exclusion or otherwise.
This alternative education is referred to as “Alternative Provision”.
The most common type of alternative provision is a Pupil Referral Unit (PRU) which is a school that caters for children who are not able to attend mainstream school.
Other types of alternative provision can include things like tuition, therapeutic farms, forest schools, outdoor learning centres, sports facilities, animal assisted therapy centres and practical courses like mechanics or hairdressing.
Alternative provision pathways and packages are tailored to the needs of the child or young person. The Local Authority will have established a number of registered “approved” alternative provision providers that schools will be able to access when considering appropriate Alternative Provision pathways.
The Pupil Support Service provides directories to schools which contain lists of AfC services and contacts, and enrichment services and external organisations, which are available to schools when considering Inclusion and Alternative Provision pathways. Links to these directories are published on the Local Offer:
Alternative Provision must be full-time unless a reduced level of education would be in the child’s best interests because of their mental or physical health. It must also be suitable for your child’s age, ability, aptitude, and special educational needs (SEN).
If a child has been permanently excluded from their school for behaviour reasons, or are at risk of permanent exclusion
If a child or young person has been permanently excluded, alternative education must be provided from the sixth school day after the exclusion.
If a child or young person has a fixed-term exclusion of more than five school days, the school is responsible for securing suitable alternative education during that time.
More information and guidance on exclusion and steps schools must follow can be found on the IPSEA website.
If a child is unable to attend school due to a short- or long-term health need which can be either a physical or mental health condition.
If a child or young person is prevented from attending school due to health needs (including mental health), alternative education should be arranged by the LA as soon as it is clear that the child will be away from school for 15 days or more.
Please refer to the DfE statutory guidance for Arranging education for children who cannot attend school because of health needs for more information on how the LA and schools can support children who cannot attend school because of physical and mental health needs.
Temporarily not having a school place e.g. a child has moved into the borough with no suitable school places or they are an asylum seeker
For children with no school place, education must be provided immediately by the Local Authority.
Each Local Authority will have their own local process for arranging Alternative Provision.
IPSEA have some template letters on their website that can be tailored to your individual circumstances when asking the LA to arrange alternative education.
If you are considering Alternative Provision as part of an EOTAS/EOTISC package, then please visit our section on Education other than in school/college.
For Richmond and Kingston, the Education Inclusion Support Service (EISS) is a service that supports schools better manage children and young people with social emotional difficulties which can present as challenging behaviour or act as a barrier to school attendance. This means that they offer services for children who are at risk of exclusion or cannot attend school due to their mental health needs.
EISS provides “waves” of support, starting with early intervention strategies, and moving through the waves if more specialist interventions are needed. A school must make a referral to EISS to be able to access these services and alternative provision pathways. Decisions to progress to each wave is made by the Early Advice and Intervention Panel (EAIP).
More information can be found at this link: EISS Waves Model of Support and how to access EISS support
If your child has an EHCP it is also possible for the AfC Special Educational Needs Service to work with EISS to make interim arrangements for educational provision where a placement is at risk of breaking down.
It is important that established pathways for Alternative Provision are followed as schools have safeguarding responsibilities and need to ensure that all organisations and individuals working with a child have met the appropriate safeguarding standards.
Please visit the AfC Local Offer and refer to the Education Inclusion Support Service (EISS) section. Here you will find further information on how schools make a referral to EISS, and the services that are available through this process. There is also specific information and guidance for schools and parents/carers on how to manage Emotionally Related School Avoidance (ERSA).
Click here for further information from I.P.S.E.A in relation to securing alternative provision.