Guides & explainers
Resources for finding the right Alternative Provision
Plain-English explainers for parents, schools, local authorities and providers — written to help you use the directory of 4,360 providers with confidence, not to sell a placement.
Drawn from the live catalogue of 4,360 providers on AP Directory.
Alternative Provision
What is Alternative Provision? A plain-English guide
Alternative Provision (AP) covers education arranged for children who, for a range of reasons, cannot attend a mainstream school full-time. Here's what it actually means in practice.
6 min read
EOTAS
EOTAS explained: Education Otherwise Than At School
EOTAS is used when no single school placement can currently meet a child's needs. Here's what it means, when it applies, and how packages are usually built.
7 min read
EBSA
EBSA explained: Emotionally Based School Avoidance
EBSA describes a pattern of school non-attendance driven by emotional distress, most often anxiety, rather than defiance. Understanding it changes how you respond.
6 min read
EHCP
EHCP explained: Education, Health and Care Plans
An EHCP is a legal document setting out a child's special educational needs and the support they must receive. Here's how it works and what it means for provision.
7 min read
Parent guides
A parent's guide to finding the right provision
If your child isn't attending mainstream school, or struggling badly when they do, this guide walks through the practical steps and the terms you'll hear along the way.
8 min read
School guides
A SENCO's guide to commissioning Alternative Provision
Practical guidance for SENCOs, AP leads and pastoral teams on identifying, quality-assuring and monitoring an Alternative Provision placement.
9 min read
School attendance
Exclusion and reintegration: what happens next
A suspension or permanent exclusion is rarely the end of the story. Here's what typically happens next, and how reintegration-focused provision can help.
6 min read
Online education
Online Alternative Provision: what it is and when it works well
Online AP has grown quickly, but it isn't right for every situation. Here's how to judge whether it's a realistic option for a specific learner.
6 min read
Vocational education
Vocational Alternative Provision: practical pathways that work
For many disengaged learners, a genuinely practical curriculum — construction, catering, animal care, motor vehicle — is the route back into sustained engagement.
6 min read
GCSE alternatives
GCSE alternatives: qualification routes when the standard timetable isn't working
GCSEs aren't the only route to a recognised outcome at 16. Here's a plain guide to the main alternatives, and when each one makes sense.
7 min read