An Ofsted investigation has revealed that too many students’ experiences of alternative provision are negative, due in no small part to a lack of clarity over who is responsible for the commissioning and oversight of places.
Ofsted’s report draws upon visits to six local areas and survey responses from 700 people working and learning within England’s alternative provision system, including students and their families.
It highlights examples of good practice and stresses that good registered alternative provision can provide a high-quality education to vulnerable young people. However, it warns that too many children’s experiences are negative.
Alternative provision is commissioned by schools or local authorities when students are excluded or cannot attend mainstream school for reasons such as complex medical, social or emotional needs.
However, not all alternative provision needs to be registered or inspected – meaning there is “lack of oversight”.
Ofsted says that a “lack of national standards and clarity” around who is responsible for commissioning alternative provision and its oversight means that outcomes for young people are “inconsistent”. It says that the system is in “desperate need of reform”.
The report states: “Decisions about placing children in alternative provision are often not rigorous enough and placements are not monitored effectively. As a result, children’s outcomes are extremely inconsistent, both across and within local areas.”
This results in a “disrupted education” for many young people, with one parent quoted in the report describing the situation as “soul-destroying”. A child in the report spoke about feeling “abandoned” by their home school.
Inspectors also report a lack of collaboration between agencies, especially when it comes to health partners often not being involved in decision-making about individual placements.
The report is calling for better guidance about the purpose of alternative provision and “potential indicators of success”, and clearer roles and responsibilities for different local area partners, including more clarity on “how health and social care partners should be involved in strategic planning for alternative provision and the commissioning and oversight of individual placements”.
Ofsted also wants to see a “proportionate registration and inspection regime for all alternative provision”.
Chief inspector Sir Martyn Oliver said: “Good alternative provision provides invaluable support for children and helps them engage with their learning. However, we are concerned that some children’s education and care falls below the standard they deserve. We need more clarity about how alternative provision can be used effectively so that children have consistently positive experiences.
“We also remain concerned about the widespread problems with unregistered alternative provision – after 12 years of calling for the mandatory registration for all alternative provision, it is clear that the need for reform is more urgent than ever.”
The Association of School and College Leaders said that the report should bring about significant reform. Its SEND and inclusion specialist Margaret Mulholland explained: “While many providers are offering high-quality alternative provision and achieving improved outcomes for children and young people, there are vast differences in how alternative provision is being delivered across different local areas.
“Ofsted’s conclusion that decisions about placing children and young people in alternative provision are not always considered thoroughly enough, needs to be a precursor to change. The current system too often leads to children being inappropriately placed in alternative provision because there is insufficient resource or capacity for them to remain in mainstream settings.”
The government’s SEND and AP Improvement Plan, published last year, sets out plans to integrate alternative provision within the SEND system.
Ms Mulholland added: “Integrating alternative provision within the SEND system provides an opportunity to develop the specialist support available in alternative provision settings. However, this must be flexible enough to respond to regional needs and significant investment is required for training and development to ensure all alternative provision has a positive impact on children and young people.”
- Ofsted: Research and analysis: Alternative provision in local areas in England: a thematic review, February 2024: www.gov.uk/government/publications/alternative-provision-in-local-areas-in-england-a-thematic-review