The Government strongly believes that every child deserves an education that enables them to fulfil their potential, whatever their background, needs or location in the country. Alternative Provision (AP) plays a critical role in making this happen. It provides support to children at challenging moments in their lives and each placement has the potential to transform a child’s life chances – ‘Creating opportunity for all’ Our vision for alternative provision March 2018
All students who access Alternative Curriculum placements will have a dedicated Mentor who will be the liaison point between School, placement and home.
- The purpose of alternative provision is to re-engage excluded pupils in their education. The ultimate goal of this work is to help these young people achieve all that they are capable of their studies and prepare them for future life.
Aims
- At their best, alternative provision providers are experts in supporting children and young people whose behaviour or other needs can present a barrier to learning – Summary of the SEND review: right support, right place, right time May 2022
- In general terms, a placement should provide opportunities for appropriate achievement and accreditation across the broad range of curriculum content and activities and prepare young people for future careers. Where possible a student will be placed within an identified cluster of Alternative Provision Providers to meet their individual needs.
Objectives
- Alternative provision should be tailored
- Fit appropriately with, and support a pupil’s education attainment
- Adequately reflect the learning capacity and capabilities of pupils
- Incorporate a pupil’s interests.
- Take parental/carer views into account
Personal Development & Behaviours
- Meet the specifically identified personal and social and needs of the pupil;
- Improved pupil motivation and self-confidence, attendance and engagement with education,
- Support the pupil with careers advice and guidance, providing 2 opportunities for access across each key stage
- Help develop social and life skills in the pupil;
- Address behaviour and communication issues;
- Prepare the pupil for independent life and living.
Academic and Careers
- Alternative Provision Providers deliver an ambitious, coherently planned and sequenced curriculum which prepares pupils for their next steps in employment, education or training based on The National Curriculum
- Alternative Provision Providers are to deliver the qualifications including; GCSE, Functional Skills and Entry Levels
- To achieve nationally accredited qualifications which are competitive and recognised.
- Curriculum to be devised and linked to the National Curriculum/Core subjects and be succinct and skills focused allowing progression onto examination routes.
- RHSE is developed through the curriculum across all provisions and delivered via a timetabled and structured lesson to all pupils who attend a provision for 3 days.
Reading and Phonics
In Alternative Provision, stakeholders collaborate to enhance reading skills by actively involving Alternative Providers in the planning of the English and Reading Curriculum during half-termly meetings. This ensures the curriculum is engaging and supports student progression through a diverse selection of fiction and non-fiction texts; linked to cross-curricular themes. Termly reading assessments identify students who benefit from The Abigail Steel Phonics scheme, which is implemented across all three-day provisions. The AP Teacher ensures high-quality delivery and access to effective reading resources, fostering a strong reading culture within Alternative Provision.
Overviews for Alternative Provision
Pupils on Alternative Provision will study: