Projects to improve alternative provision receive DfE funding

Nine schemes across the country are to benefit from a £4 million fund to develop new ways of improving alternative provision, to support children educated outside of mainstream or special schools .

The projects aim to support children back into mainstream education, encourage parents and carers to be more involved in their child’s education, help young people make good academic progress, as well as helping them to move into further education or employment.

Projects include literacy and maths tutoring, summer holiday activities to support transition to further education, and the introduction of robots to enable children in hospital to participate virtually in lessons. Other schemes include parent and carer coaching to improve involvement in education and mental health support, helping young people to build positive relationships.

School Standards Minister Nick Gibb said: “There are some excellent examples of alternative provision in the education system, but we need to raise standards across the board if we want to give every young person the opportunity to succeed. These new projects, backed by £4 million, will develop new ways of doing this which can be shared around the country, so that we can improve education for everyone.”

Three projects lead by Bradford Central Pupil Referral Unit, Francis Barber Pupil Referral Unit in London, and Hospital and Outreach Education in the East Midlands, has been given funding to get children back into school.

Another three projects, lead by Cognus in Sutton, Futures Advice, Skills and Employment in Nottingham, and Salford City Council have been given funding to help young people into further education or employment.

The Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families in London, The Tutor Trust and Talk Listen Change in Greater Manchester, and Portsmouth Education Partnerships will be leading three projects to support parents and carers to be more involved in their child’s education.

The Innovation Fund was launched alongside the Department for Education’s vision for reforming alternative provision which outlined steps to improve quality – including reviewing unregistered settings, developing a new framework and making the role of schools, alternative providers and councils clearer in delivering alternative provision.