Schools and Colleges - Using Alternative Provision
Academies, Schools and Colleges may decide to commission Alternative Provision directly without working through the Partnerships. These may be useful for students who need short term and / or part time placements in a setting away from school to help them sustain their engagement in school.
We strongly advise schools to use LEBC (Leicester Education Business Company) as part of the Commissioning process. For a small "per student" fee LEBC provides access to its database and issues personalised documents for each placement. In return schools can be assured that the AP has passed the LEBC annual audit, checking safeguarding and health and safety arrangements. If your school does not yet have a service level agreement with LEBC contact susan.ellis@leics-ebc.org.uk
We strongly advise that schools read and follow the document "Placing Pupils at APs" which sets out the expectations for schools in using their powers of "off site direction" either independently or with their local Partnership.
Schools must have a Commssioning Agreement with any APs they use directly. This is a sample in Word format that can be adapted.
A Link to our database of APs. Inclusion in our list does not indicate that the AP has been audited by LEBC nor that it is being used by one or more Partnerships.
A Link to our database of Quality Assurance Reports following visits to APs prepared by one or more Partnerships or schools. We welcome reports from Leicestershire schools and will post them onto our site.
Here is the agreed template used by the five Partnerships to conduct QA visits at APs. Schools are welcome to use this and to submit reports to the web site.
Links to the LEBC web site. We urge schools to use the LEBC service as part of their regular process of commissioning AP
If you do not have a Service Level Agreement with LEBC that allows you to access their database of AP's backed by their auditing service you can make contact with them here susan.ellis@leics-ebc.org.uk
Read our advice to schools on Ofsted expectations related to the use of AP
Placing students for too much time at an AP is one factor that can inadvertently cause the AP to slip into illegality. Read the advice on avoiding this risk.
This links to the Ofsted Inspection Handbook for Unregsitered Schools. Oftsed can only inspect APs if they have evidence that the setting is operating as an illegal school.