Questions to ask an alternative provision provider

A listing on AP Directory is not a recommendation, a safeguarding approval or a guarantee that a provider is right for your child. These questions help you check for yourself. Use the contact options on the provider's page to ask them directly. Please do not send identifying details about your child in a first message.

Access and funding

• Who can refer a child, and can a family contact you directly?
• Who pays for a place, and how is that agreed?
• Is there a waiting list, and how soon could a child start?

What your child would actually do

• How many hours a week, and what does a typical day or week look like?
• Is teaching live, recorded or in person? How many young people are in a group?
• Which subjects and qualifications are offered, and who enters students for the exams?
• How is progress recorded and shared with the family and the school?

Safety and support

• Who is the designated safeguarding lead, and what checks are carried out on staff?
• How do you support children with anxiety, SEND or an EHCP? Can we see how that works in practice?
• How is attendance monitored, and what happens if a child cannot attend?

Practicalities and next steps

• Can we visit, or meet online, before a decision is made?
• How do you work with the child's school and local authority?
• What happens at the end of a placement, and how are next steps planned?

Providers' answers can differ from what is written on their websites or on AP Directory. If something matters to you, ask for it in writing.