What Is Alternative Provision (AP)?

In the UK education system, not every young person thrives in a mainstream school. For some, medical needs, mental health challenges, trauma, or complex additional needs make traditional education difficult to access. That’s where Alternative Provision (AP) comes in.

What Exactly Is Alternative Provision?

Alternative Provision refers to education arranged outside of a mainstream school setting, tailored to support young people who, for various reasons, cannot attend school full-time. This might be due to:

• Permanent exclusion or risk of exclusion
• Social, emotional, or mental health needs (SEMH)
• Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)
• Medical conditions, including life-limiting illnesses
• Awaiting a suitable school placement
  
  

AP is designed to provide a personalised learning experience, helping students build confidence, achieve qualifications, and, where possible, transition back into full-time education.

Who Benefits from Alternative Provision?

A wide range of young people benefit from AP. At Targeted Provision, we regularly support:

• Emotionally-Based School Avoiders (EBSA)
• Children in care or with a Social Worker 
• Students with EHCPs 
• Children receiving EOTAS (Educated Other Than At School) packages
• Young people experiencing trauma, bereavement, or ongoing mental health difficulties
  
  

These learners deserve an education that adapts to them, not the other way around.

Where Does AP Take Place?

Flexibility is at the heart of AP. It can happen:

• In specialist venues
• In the young person’s home
• In community settings
• Online or through a blended approach
  
  

This adaptability allows for education to be delivered in safe, supportive environments, wherever the learner feels most comfortable.

Why Is Alternative Provision So Important?

In 2023, nearly 1 in 5 commissioned AP places in England were delivered by unregistered providers, a clear sign of how many young people need flexible, tailored education.

AP offers:

• Safe, trauma-aware learning environments
• Consistent, trusted adult relationships
• Personalised academic support
• Pathways back into school, college, or further education
  
  

Shaping the Future of AP

At Targeted Provision, we believe every child and young person has the right to a safe, inclusive, high-quality education. That’s why we:

• Uphold rigorous safeguarding standards
  Work in partnership with over 160 local authorities
• Design tailored learning that meets each student’s individual needs
  
  

Used properly, Alternative Provision is not a last resort,  it’s a lifeline, a stepping stone, and often, a turning point.

Want to Know More?

Whether you're an educator, parent or carer or someone simply interested in how we support young people outside mainstream education, we’d love to share more. At Targeted Provision, we work every day to ensure no young person is left without a place to learn, grow, and succeed.

Explore our success stories to see how young people are thriving with the right support, in the right setting, at the right time.

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