What is alternative provision?

The Department for Education defines alternative provision as ‘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.’
 
The most common type of alternative provision is a pupil referral unit (PRU): a school that caters for children who aren’t able to attend a mainstream school. These are much smaller than mainstream schools, with very small class numbers and lots of pastoral support. Around a third of pupils in alternative provision attend PRUs.
 
Other types of alternative provision include:

‘The most common reason for a child to attend alternative provision is school exclusion, usually because their behaviour has become unmanageable,’ says Craig Johnston, a senior lecturer at the University of Winchester and specialist in marginalised youth. These children may have been permanently excluded from their mainstream school, or be at risk of being permanently excluded.
 
There are many other reasons why a child might attend alternative provision, such as:
 

• Mental health needs
• School phobia/school refusal
• Bullying
• Medical needs
• Persistent truancy
• Being a young carer
• Special educational needs
• Temporarily not having a school place, for example if they have moved to an area with no suitable school places or are an asylum seeker 

Around 40% of pupils in alternative provision are primary school age, and the majority are boys.

There are three main ways in which a child might be transferred to alternative provision:
 

• Permanent exclusion, where the pupil is removed from the school roll. The school no longer has any responsibility for the child.
• A managed move, where the pupil transfers to alternative provision voluntarily. This is a more consensual approach that involves the full cooperation of parents, governors and the local authority or academy trust. It avoids the child having a permanent exclusion in their records.
• A referral, where the pupil remains on the roll of their current school but receives some or all of their education off-site.

It’s natural to be worried and upset if your child is transferred to alternative provision. It’s important to remember, though, that children in alternative provision are not ‘naughty children', and are typically very vulnerable.
 
‘Being labelled as having “challenging behaviour” is usually due to the fact that their current placement can’t meet their needs effectively,’ Laura explains. ‘Many are unable to access school due to very high anxiety.’
 
There are many positives to a child being in alternative provision rather than struggling in a school environment that isn’t working for them. ‘Some really good social work goes on in alternative provision, with a strong focus on pastoral support around behaviour, bullying and mental health,’ Craig says.
 
Craig suggests that if possible, a referral is the best option for transferring a child to alternative provision. ‘It’s in their best interests to keep them on roll of their mainstream school, as if they are permanently excluded for behavioural reasons, it can be difficult to find another mainstream school that will accept them,’ he says.
 
Before your child starts at their alternative provision setting, or if that’s not possible, soon after they join, try to set up a meeting with the leader and the staff who will work directly with your child so you can discuss their needs.
 
‘Make sure the placement is able to build a programme around your child’s needs, and that your child is able to develop trusting relationships with the staff there,’ Laura advises.
 
You may be able to formulate a settling-in plan for your child. ‘Some settings are very good at this, and will do a lot of preparation with the child, making them familiar with their key workers and trying to integrate them in short bursts,’ Craig explains.
 
Throughout your child’s alternative provision journey, make sure you keep talking to the staff to ensure your child’s needs are being met and any problems are tackled promptly.
 
‘Communicate as much information as you can about what works for your child and what doesn’t. Keep those lines of communication open and work together to support your child,’ says Laura.

It’s completely understandable to have concerns about your child moving to alternative provision. By the time the wheels are in motion, it’s likely that you’ll have been in close communication with their school for some time and have discussed the possibility of the move, but if you’re still worried that it’s not the right decision for your child, arrange to speak to those people involved in their welfare, such as the headteacher, SENCO and support staff.
 
‘It’s important that you feel you can question the school about why your child is being moved, and challenge the decision if you feel you need to,’ says Craig. ‘Gain clarification about why it’s happening, and whether they’re actually being excluded.’
 
If your child is permanently excluded, you do have the right to appeal the decision. The first step is to take your case to the school governors, who may overturn the exclusion. If not, you can apply for an independent review by your local authority or, if the school is an academy, the academy trust. You must apply for a review within 15 school days of the exclusion, and it may be helpful to seek legal advice.

While some children benefit from staying in alternative provision until they finish compulsory education, many will return to mainstream school, be it after weeks, months or even years.
 
‘I would recommend a gradual transition back into a mainstream school, with maybe a mixture of alternative provision and school until the child is able to access the new school exclusively,’ says Laura.
 
‘Again, communication is vital, and the alternative provision needs to share what works and what doesn’t to enable a positive transition.’
 
Whether or not your child does reintegrate into mainstream school, it’s important to see their time in alternative provision as an opportunity, not a failure.
 
‘Alternative provision can do amazing work to rebuild children’s trust in adults and the education system,’ Laura says. ‘A positive experience can make children feel less anxious and more confident again. This means they can access other educational settings and, paired with a successful transition, allow them to reach their potential.’