Explained: Alternative Provision
Authors: Natasha King and Brooke Marsden
At Yipiyap, we’re proud to be able to introduce so many young people to the world of teaching. Many of our gap year tutors have gone on to careers in education - and for those who don’t, they step up to their future career with essential teaching and learning skills.
In our Explained series, we’re going to shed some light on the key pedagogical terminology for fledgling educators - and maybe even provide a refresher for seasoned teachers too!
This year has seen school attendance come under serious scrutiny, and for good reason: children who miss out on formal education are seriously damaged in a number of areas, from learning and future career prospects to mental health and wellbeing, emotional and social development, and even vulnerability to safeguarding risks and criminal employment.
In part, this is due to the impact of home learning during the Covid-19 pandemic on learner attitudes to school. The Department for Education has been vocal in redoubling its efforts to reduce nonattendance, but there are some groups of learners for whom school attendance has always been precarious. These include learners with Special Educational Needs and Disabilties (SEND), emotional or behavioural issues, difficult home lives, and more.
So, what tools exist to support these children, who are among the most vulnerable in our society? This article explores the options at schools’ disposal, and clears up the slew of jargon that comes along with this key area, from EOTAS to PRUs and beyond.
What is Alternative Provision?
Alternative Provisions (AP) are teaching arrangements set in place for those learners unable to attend mainstream schools. Many of the tools for inclusion in this article fall under the umbrella of Alternative Provision.
One-size-fits all schooling doesn't work for everyone. Alternative Provisions craft custom game plans so students with SEND, behavioural, or other needs can access schooling that fits. With help from local authorities, teachers remove obstacles through specialized staff, spaces and approaches. This helps learners overcome any challenges they may have faced in a mainstream school!
Alternative provision can take place in PRUs (see below), dedicated Alternative Provision Academies, hospital schools, or through home education.
What is EOTAS?
When students aren’t able to be in a classroom, EOTAS is here to lend a helping hand. Education Other Than At a School is when students are taught via home education, online learning or any alternative provision. EOTAS can be temporary, for a medical condition or temporary exclusion, or be part of an Special Education Needs and Disabilities (SEND) provision, ensuring all learners have access to equal opportunities that meet them where they’re at - literally!
Examples of EOTAS:
Home schooling
Online schooling
Other tuition centres
Hospital schooling
Therapies (Speech and language, occupational therapy, physiotherapy)
What is LSA in schools?
No - not the girl from Frozen! A Learning Support Assistant (LSA) is a member of staff who supports those learners who require additional academic support. An LSA aims to support learners in overcoming barriers to learning that they may face on a day-to-day basis and encourage them to thrive and achieve academically.
LSAs often work with individual students on a one-to-one basis, in small group sessions or the classroom. Working outside of the classroom can create a safe learning space for those with SEND or behavioural needs.
These teacher sidekicks offer extra explanations, encouragement and emotional support. Whether that be separately from a class or sitting in assisting during a lesson - LSAs are superstars for their learners, helping them overcome obstacles, achieve goals and realize their potential.
There are no legal requirements for the qualifications an LSA should hold, but many will hold specific Level 2 or 3 qualifications in learning support or special needs support.
What is a PRU?
No - not off Bake Off! (Tired of this joke yet?) A Pupil Referral Unit (PRU) is an alternative education setting, outside of mainstream schools. These are sometimes stand-alone facilities operated by the local authority, or are sometimes attached to a mainstream school. PRUs are staffed by qualified teachers and education specialists.
The idea is that learners will still receive an education whilst addressing factors that may affect their ability to learn. The majority of learners that are referred are in secondary school, but some units also teach pupils at a primary school level.
PRUs provide an alternate path so students can keep learning. These specialized units address barriers like behavioural challenges or bullying so at-risk youth can stay in education. Students might attend PRU full-time or just get help mastering subjects for half the week with the rest of the time in mainstream - either way, PRUs ensure those learners won't fall through the cracks.
What’s the difference between alternative provision and pupil referral unit?
AP or PRU - have you got acronym overload yet? Well, here’s the difference between Alternative Provision (AP) and Pupil Referral Unit (PRU).
AP is a broad term used to encompass a range of educational provisions for learners who are not able to attend mainstream schools. However, a PRU is a specifically designed environment for pupils who have been excluded or may be at risk of exclusion due to behavioural issues or different circumstances.
To sum it up with Aristotelean logic, all PRUs are AP, but not all AP is a PRU. It is important to know the difference and that AP is used more broadly.
What is the Send and AP Improvement Plan?
In 2019 the UK government announced a 3-year plan to reform and improve the way children with SEND and those educated in alternative provision settings are supported. The Government published its SEND and AP Improvement plan in March 2023, following a review of SEND provision the previous year.
The plan aims to overhaul policies, practices and funding to create a more unified, equitable and transparent system. It covers identification, assessment, teaching practice, transitions and accountability.
Ultimately, this is an attempt to fix long-standing problems with supporting some of the most vulnerable children in the education system. The plan seeks to create national standards and strategies that better serve students, parents and schools in this area.
As a tutor, you might see the impact of the plan in increased funding for SEND provision - which can sometimes take the form of funding for tutor support! Apart from this, there is a focus on ensuring schools have access to SEND specialists (SENCOs) and giving teachers in training the skills they need to properly support SEND learners.
What is the Fair Access Protocol?
The Fair Access Protocol kicks open the school gates, giving every child a fair shot at education regardless of their circumstances by ensuring nobody falls through the admissions process without a place for the academic year.
The Department for Education introduced this measure in 2007, and all local authorities are required to put a Fair Access Protocol in place for their schools. Once a majority of schools have agreed to it, admissions authorities are required to follow it.
So, what’s it all about?
The protocol ensures that children who don’t secure a place during the normal round of schools admissions are able to find on mid-year. In practice, these children are almost always among the most vulnerable in society. Reasons a child might struggle to secure a place in school are many, but could include:
Special Educational Needs or Disability
Emotional or behavioural challenges, or having been permanently excluded from school
Being part of the Gypsy, Roma, or Traveller communities
Being a refugee or asylum seeker
Homelessness or living in a refuge
The FAP ensures that these learners who are disproportionately less likely to secure a school placement at the beginning of the academic year have access to the education they deserve, be that in a mainstream school, PRU, AP, or EOTAS.
About the authors:
Author: Natasha King
Natasha tutored with Yipiyap on her gap year in 2016-17 before achieving her Bachelor of Science at Loughborough University. She currently works as a Freelance Digital Marketer.
Author: Brooke Marsden
Brooke is a member of Yipiyap’s Leadership Team and a former peer tutor, channelling her love of education into improving outcomes of learners nationwide. As a graduate of English and Creative Writing, she loves researching new ideas and presenting them in an imaginative way.