A SENCO's guide to commissioning Alternative Provision

Commissioning Alternative Provision well is a due diligence exercise, not just a placements exercise — the DfE's statutory guidance on AP makes clear that schools remain responsible for the safety, welfare and educational progress of any pupil placed in AP they arrange, even though day-to-day delivery sits with the provider.

Before commissioning, be clear on the purpose of the placement: is it short-term (to manage a specific crisis or transition), part-time (alongside continued mainstream attendance), or a longer-term/permanent alternative? This shapes both which providers are realistic and how you'll measure success.

Due diligence checklist before placing a pupil:

• Confirm registration status: is this a registered AP school/PRU, or an unregistered independent setting? Both are lawful to use, but the checks differ.
• Request evidence of safeguarding: a safeguarding policy, DSL contact details, and confirmation of enhanced DBS checks for staff working directly with pupils.
• Check insurance and risk assessments, particularly for any off-site, workshop-based or outdoor activity.
• Ask what qualifications are offered and, critically, who actually enters the pupil for any exams — this is sometimes still the school, not the AP provider.
• Clarify funding and contractual terms in writing before the placement starts.
• Agree a communication and review schedule — statutory guidance recommends schools maintain regular contact with both the provider and the family throughout the placement, and typically expects reviews at least every half-term for longer placements.

Once a placement has started, monitor attendance, engagement and academic/pastoral progress just as you would for a pupil on your own site — a good AP placement should be reporting back to you, not disappearing into a black box. Keep records: statutory guidance and Ofsted both expect schools to be able to show how they quality-assured and monitored any AP placement they arranged.

Finally, plan for reintegration or transition from the outset where relevant — even a placement expected to be long-term should have a periodic review point to check whether circumstances have changed. Use a shortlist and case-based search (both available in this directory) to keep a clear, comparable record of the options you considered and why a particular provider was chosen — useful both for your own records and for any future safeguarding or Ofsted scrutiny of your AP arrangements.