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<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nIn the UK, Section 19 of the Education Act 1996<\/a> states that local authorities must arrange suitable, full-time education for children of compulsory school age who, for whatever reason, would not receive suitable education without such provision being arranged.<\/p>\n\n\n\n All alternative provisions must be suitable for the specific child\u2019s age, abilities, aptitude and any special educational needs (SEN)<\/a> they may have. Every child, no matter their needs, should be given the opportunity to achieve, overcome their barriers to achievement and thrive in the education system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are many reasons why a child may not be receiving a suitable education and so are offered alternative provision. Reasons include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Examples of types of alternative provision include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Pupil Referral Units (PRUs)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n PRUs are the most popular type of alternative provision and are a type of school that caters specifically for children who can\u2019t attend mainstream school in the UK. Pupil referral units are smaller than mainstream schools, have smaller class sizes, are highly structured environments and provide lots of additional support for students. Children commonly attend a PRU if they\u2019ve been excluded from school, or are at risk of exclusion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Vocational Centres or Alternative Provision Academies<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n These types of AP schools offer an alternative education that has a more flexible, holistic curriculum that addresses both the academic and personal needs of students. Vocational centres and academies provide hands-on training and work placements alongside traditional classroom learning to help students gain vocational qualifications.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Special Schools<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Special schools are educational settings designed specifically for children with special educational needs or disabilities (SEND), whether it\u2019s a specific learning difficulty<\/a>, physical disability, cognitive difference, sensory need<\/a> or neurodivergent condition like autism<\/a> or ADHD<\/a>. Special schools provide targeted support to help these students overcome their barriers to learning and achieve their full educational potential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Outdoor Learning Centres<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Outdoor education includes forest school<\/a>, animal therapy centres and outdoor activity centres where the natural world is used as a tool for learning. Outdoor learning centres provide students with a hands-on, multi-sensory and holistic learning experience that encourages social, spiritual, emotional and physical development, alongside the traditional school curriculum.<\/p>\n\n\n Hospital Schools<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Some pupils are unable to attend traditional classroom-based schooling because they have a long-term medical condition or illness. Some may also have a short-term injury or illness that requires a stay in hospital. To prevent these children from missing out on their education, hospital schools are located within hospitals and offer tailored teaching specifically for those children with additional medical needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Online Learning and Remote Education<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Remote learning<\/a> can help students to learn in their own time, at home, and stay connected when they cannot get to the classroom for whatever reason. However, it should only be seen as a short-term approach, and the Department for Education states that digital learning, distance learning and remote education should only be considered as an alternative provision when other teaching methods have been ruled out. This is because face-to-face schooling is much more beneficial for children\u2019s attainment and wellbeing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Our full range of online CPD Courses for Teaching and Education<\/a> will help you understand more about essential classroom topics, including Challenging Behaviour<\/a>, SEND<\/a> and Child Mental Health.<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n\n\n\n Offering AP to students ensures all children have the opportunity to achieve their potential and attain the same qualifications as their peers in mainstream education. Other key benefits of alternative provision include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n As a teacher, it\u2019s your role to do your best to ensure that every child has the opportunity to achieve their full potential. By providing alternative provision to students who need it, you can rest assured that you\u2019re doing all you can to ensure this is the case.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, whilst highly beneficial, AP can also be challenging. Pupils need support throughout their AP and you\u2019ll need to overcome their challenges and barriers to learning together. Consider our alternative provision guidance below to help you and your students get the most out of their learning experience:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Alternative provision (AP) plays a vital role in ensuring that all children, regardless of their circumstances, receive a high-quality education tailored to their individual needs. AP supports students to overcome barriers to learning and helps them achieve personal and academic success, just like their peers in mainstream education.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Alternative provision (AP) is when a child is provided with an alternative to mainstream schooling. Learn more about what it involves and the key benefits here.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":78985,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[81,75,80],"class_list":["post-78968","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-safeguarding","tag-education","tag-safeguarding-children","tag-teachers-and-parents"],"acf":{"schema_disabled":false,"schema_properties_FAQPage_question_answer":null,"schema_properties_HowTo_howto_tools":null,"schema_properties_HowTo_howto_supplies":null,"schema_properties_HowTo_howto_steps":null,"schema_properties_WebPage_cssSelector":null,"schema_sameAs_repeater":null,"schema_custom_json_repeater":null,"schema_custom_json_override":false},"yoast_head":"\nWhy Children May be Offered Alternative Provision<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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\n\n\n\nAlternative Provision Examples<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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<\/div>Looking to Learn More?<\/h3><\/div><\/div>
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\n\n\n\nAlternative Provision Guidance<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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\n\n\n\nFurther Resources:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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