Following an initial scoping exercise to gather information about Alternative Provision across the North West, an 'Alternative Provision - Best practice and development' session was held in September 2023. The session was held to start initial discussion around Alternative Provision and featured presentations from Ofsted and DfE, and shared good practice from colleagues in Westmorland and Furness, Bolton, Salford, and Cheshire West and Chester. 

Further information about this session can be found here - Best practice and development session: 29 September 2023 

From this initial session, a Deep Dive was carried out into several North West local authorities’ AP. The Deep Dive findings have formed the basis for the development of a library of resources to support local area partners with the development of their Alternative Provision offer. 

Resources below include:

Alternative Provision - A guide for local area partners This document is intended to be used by colleagues involved in Alternative Provision at all levels, and across a range of children’s services. With a child-centred focus, it provides an overview of what Alternative Provision is, how it may be structured within local authorities, and inspection findings regarding AP under the new Area SEND Inspection Framework.  

Practice resources were developed reflecting the different stages of the Deep Dive process. These include a start-point self-assessment tool and a mechanism in which regional findings can be communicated widely, in a way which supports all local areas to reflect on their practice, identify potential development areas, and draw from practice identified from across the region.

Resources below include: 

Alternative Provision – Deep Dive Areas of Interest template This document allows local areas to begin to consider the key areas of interest, as identified through Ofsted’s thematic visits looking at Alternative Provision. Consideration of the key questions will support local authorities and AP partners to build a picture of their strengths around AP and potential areas for development.  

Alternative Provision – Practice resource matrix Using the findings from the Deep Dive process, this document presents the requirements for AP provision within the Area SEND inspection, the challenges local areas face, and where practice has been identified regionally. This document is intended as a working document that will updated as more regional practice is identified and shared. 

The Area SEND Inspection Framework, which came into use from January 2023, has an increased focus on how Alternative Provision is commissioned and overseen. Whilst strategic planning and commissioning for Alternative Provision at an operational level may be different in different local authorities, local partnerships should have a robust oversight of AP in the area.

The resources below have been developed to support local authorities to prepare for the Area SEND inspection, with a Alternative Provision focus. 

Area SEND – Required information for Alternative Provision Identifies the AP relevant evidence required for Area SEND inspection, from Annex A. of the inspection framework.  

Area SEND – What will inspectors explore around Alternative Provision? Highlights the key lines of enquiry around AP that have been identified by Area SEND inspections. 

Area SEND – Inspection feedback on Alternative Provision Collates the findings from published Area SEND inspection reports regarding AP, with a focus on identified good practice and areas with scope for improvement.  

Area SEND - Key Findings of Alternative Provision thematic Visits Following Ofsted and CQC’s first annual thematic review linked to the area SEND inspection framework, this document summarises the key findings from ‘Alternative Provision in local areas in England: A thematic review’.

Below are a range of local authority draft/ finalised documents relating to different stages of the AP process. These documents are taken from a range of national local authorities and may be useful for LAs looking to develop similar documentation and requiring a template. 

For further information about our ongoing work around Alternative Provision, please join our mailing list by emailing NWADCS@stockport.gov.uk