Alternative education provision

A programme of alternative education provision may be offered to a pupil if they are experiencing problems with their school's mainstream curriculum offer.

This may include issues relating to behaviour and attendance, or where a pupil is seen to not be achieving good academic outcomes.

In general, most pupils will access a programme of alternative education provision on a part-time basis (eg half a day, one day a week) alongside the school's core curriculum offer. However, there are some pupils who may be timetabled with an external provider on a full-time basis.

In these circumstances, providers of alternative provision must ensure pupils have access to core curriculum subjects (ie English, mathematics, science, IT) and be given the opportunity to take appropriate and accredited qualifications that help them to progress into further education or training.

Young people that have been permanently excluded from school may also access alternative provision. This will usually be arranged by the local authority and may include a permanent placement in a pupil referral unit.

Support for schools

The local authority provides a dedicated support service to schools to help them arrange suitable alternative provision for their pupils in key stage 3 and 4.

Flexible Procurement System

The council will use a Flexible Procurement System (FPS) to purchase suitable alternative and complimentary provision. The FPS will be divided into the following lots:

  • Lot 1: Full-time alternative provision – Minimum of 25 hours per week
  • Lot 2: Part-time alternative provision – Sports science / health and wellbeing
  • Lot 3: Part-time alternative provision – Sports coaching / life skills
  • Lot 4: Part-time alternative provision – Hair and beauty
  • Lot 5: Part-time alternative provision – Construction
  • Lot 6: One-to-one tutoring
  • Lot 7: Complementary – Animal care
  • Lot 8: Complementary – Innovation

Providers must determine the lot(s) they are intending to deliver provision against, and there is no limit to the number of Lots a provider can apply for.

Providers may be approved to deliver provision for some or all of the Lots they have applied to. The decision will be based on the quality of the submission received. There will be no limit to the number of providers approved in each lot.

If approved, providers will be required to enter into an FPS agreement with the council. This does not guarantee work or funding but will give providers the opportunity to be commissioned for contracts of work, by appointment or via a competitive tender process.

Find out more

If you are a provider of alternative and/or complementary provision and are interested in offering your services to young people in Salford, please email altpro@salford.gov.uk for further information.

The privacy notice for education inclusion can be found on our GDPR page.

This page was last updated on 23 February 2023

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