Alternative provision
Alternative provision settings are places that provide education for children who are unable to attend school.
What is alternative provision?
The Department for Education defines alternative provision as:
"Education arranged by local authorities or schools 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".
West Sussex Alternative Provision College (WSAPC)
WSAPC is the provision commissioned by West Sussex County Council to deliver a full-time mainstream curriculum to children and young people:
- with significant health needs that prevent them from being able to attend school. Schools can refer for this provision via the Fair Access Team
- following a decision to permanently exclude from school, when the provision will be offered by the sixth day following the exclusion decision
- being directed by schools to off-site provision to support them with regulating their behaviour
WSAPC also offer a service to schools to support the inclusion of children at risk of exclusion in mainstream schools. Schools can refer for this provision via the Fair Access Team.
Who to contact
Talk to your school’s Special Needs Coordinator (SENCO) or Inclusion Coordinator (INCO) if you think that the WSAPC may be able to help support your child.
If you need information and advice around speaking to staff at your child's school, you can find information and factsheets from the West Sussex SEND Information, Advice and Support Service (SENDIAS).
Alternative provision within schools
Some schools have developed their own internal alternative provision. This may include forest school, small group sessions and other activities to support your child.
Schools will have their own ways of referring a learner to sessions.
Who to contact
Talk to your school’s Special Needs Coordinator (SENCO) or Inclusion Coordinator (INCO) to find out about alternative provision within your child’s school.
Independent alternative provision (IAP)
Schools may use independent alternative provision to complement or supplement the provision in school. For example, this may include activities such as bushcraft, art, angling, forest schools and equine therapy.
This provision can be very helpful for learners:
- who cannot manage a full-time curriculum in school
- with social, emotional or health needs
- at risk of exclusion or exploitation
- needing support with transition
- who are disadvantaged
- who struggle to attend school
Checking IAP providers are safe for your child or young person
Schools can access a list of named IAP providers and can feel confident that the providers, who are not regulated by Ofsted, will be subject to quality assurance and ongoing monitoring by West Sussex County Council (WSCC).
IAP providers on this list are required to complete a series of statements and evidence their accreditations. An 'onboarding meeting' then happens to check that what they have said in their application is a true reflection of their practices. Termly meetings are then held to review their performance with an annual quality assurance visit at their site.
Providers on the list are required to share qualifications and experience within their service. They are also required to complete statements to state they adhere to safeguarding requirements and regulations.
How schools access independent alternative provision
Schools and colleges follow steps to secure IAP for a child or young person. The school or college must:
- carry out the Graduated Approach of ‘Assess, Plan, Do, Review’ and demonstrate that it has used 'Quality First' teaching methods to support the child or young person
- seek advice from the WSCC Inclusion Teams
- sign a partnership agreement and complete a referral form stating the desired outcomes for the young person
- contact relevant providers on the list to find the best offer that meets the need of the child or young person
- issue the individual provision agreement and notify unsuccessful providers
Who to contact
IAP is commissioned by schools for young people. Please talk to your school’s Special Needs Coordinator (SENCO) or Inclusion Coordinator (INCO) to discuss independent alternative provision.
If you need information and advice around speaking to staff at your child's school, you can find factsheets and information from the West Sussex SEND Information, Advice and Support Service (SENDIAS).
If your child is home-educated and has an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP), please speak with the Special Educational Needs Assessment Team (SENAT). They will advise you about IAP at an early stage before you make important decisions about the best provision for your child.
Types of independent alternative provision - Provider list
We publish provider lists so that parents and carers can find out more about types of IAP and be in a more informed position to discuss options with schools.
These lists are correct at the time of publication but may be subject to change at short notice.
There are five different types of provision, depending upon the outcome required for the child or young person. The providers registered in each category specialise in delivering those outcomes.
Category 1 - Early intervention and prevention
6 to 12 weeks of early intervention to engage a child in education, making exclusion less likely. Outcomes for young people include:
- being able to use a range of coping strategies
- building positive relationships with adults
- improving relationships with other young people
- continuing learning and making progress
- catching up with learning after time out of education
- a planned and successful full-time return to school
Examples of provisions include:
- tutoring group or 1-2-1
- arts, crafts and cookery
- animal therapies, including equine (horse) therapy
- forest school and fishing
Category 1 providers
- ABC Education
- Angling 4 Education
- Art Inc
- Asphaleia Ltd
- Bright Teach Ltd
- Chichester Forest Schools
- Cobnor Activities Centre
- Crimsham Farm CIC
- EAQ Grassroots
- Equine Partners
- East Clayton Farm (Lorica Trust)
- Fresh Start in Education Ltd
- Learn Solutions Ltd
- Learn With Confidence
- Nisai
- Nudge
- Russel Martin Foundation
- SENse Learning
- Targeted Provision
- Teaching Personnel
- The Reading Doctor
Category 2 - Vocational opportunities (including post-16 provision)
Vocational (work-based) opportunities in addition to school to interest young people and help them make progress in their learning.
Vocational courses sometimes lead to qualifications.
Outcomes for young people include:
- becoming interested and enthusiastic about learning
- developing emotional, social and practical skills
Examples of provisions include:
- forest school and fishing
- outdoor and indoor activities
- vocational courses
Category 2 providers
Category 3 - Interim provision for learners waiting for an educational placement or who have been excluded
6 to 12 weeks providing temporary education to learners whilst an education placement is being sought by the local authority. The outcome is that young people are able to successfully engage in and continue their education between placements.
Category 3 providers
Category 4 - Online tutoring (also known as a blended package)
Learners who are taught remotely through online platforms. The details of this package will depend on the individual circumstances of learners.
Outcomes include:
- young people engage with online tuition and are supported to move to face-to-face teaching where relevant and appropriate
- pupils at risk of exclusion continue to make progress in their learning
Category 4 providers
Category 5 - Complex learners
Learners who, due to their mental health and/or medical reasons, cannot attend their education setting or who are unable to verbally express their unmet social and emotional needs, so communicate this by becoming withdrawn, self-harming, isolated or displaying disruptive or disturbing behaviour.
Outcomes for young people include:
- help to identify and manage their feelings and behaviours
- building healthy relationships
- building self-control and self-awareness
- resolving conflict
- developing resilience, self-esteem and confidence
- reducing and removing harm to learners
Category 5 providers
Information and advice
If you need information and advice on the subject of alternative provision, you can find information at the West Sussex SEND Information, Advice and Support Service (SENDIAS) website.