Alternative Provision

Information About our Alternative Provision Offer

We welcome referrals for secondary (part-time) alternative provision placements.

If you are interested in referring a pupil for an alternative provision placement; please email callan.glean@apex-specialisteducation.com

The Department for Education (2025) refers to alternative provision as:

“Education arranged by local authorities for children of compulsory school age who, because of exclusion, illness or other reasons, would not otherwise receive suitable education; alternative provision can also be used by schools for children on a suspension (fixed period exclusion); and for children being directed by schools to offsite provision to receive education intended to improve their behaviour.”

Apex Specialist Education developed its alternative provision offer to compliment the recommendations within the national SEND and Alternative Provision Plan. Specifically, ‘Tier 2’, which refers to time limited placements. All alternative provision placements in Apex Specialist Education, are part-time, with pupils remaining on their home school (mainstream) secondary school roll; additionally, all placements are commissioned for a maximum of 12 weeks, with a 6-week review point. Pupils continue to attend their mainstream school every day, and will only attend Apex Specialist Education as a part-time offer to support their progress.

Our alternative provision structure further supports the DfE’s 2025 expectation that:

“Placements into alternative provision should always be made with the child’s reintegration back into mainstream education or move onto a sustained post 16 destination in mind.”

Upon referral, Apex Specialist Education, will work closely with the commissioning partner, the pupil, parents/carers and any other appropriate agency to gather as much information as possible. This informs a risk assessment, and targets for the placement. Following this pupils are expected to attend a pre-admittance meeting before starting at the provision. When the pupil starts, they will be given a part-time timetable, which always includes maths, and English. Dependent on their arrangements they would also access a number of other subjects. Apex Specialist Education offers a therapeutic offer, which includes access to specialist resources, teaching, and a high staff-pupil ratio.

At 6 weeks all parties are invited for a review and at 12 weeks a transition back to full time mainstream schooling is expected. During reviews, and return transition, a positive behaviour support plan is formed which helps support pupils’ successful transition back into school. We have a dedicated single point of contact (certified L3 safeguarding), who maintains daily contact with commissioning school SPOCs; this person also has a dedicated phone line, and arranges regular visits for commissioning partners/schools to visit the provision.

All staff in our alternative provision undergo the same rigours checks and training, as their school counterparts, and the standards are equally robust. We welcome scrutiny and quality assurance by local authorities, schools, and wider commissioning partners. We produce a half-termly report partners; this is currently via the Pioneers Trust; the body which includes all secondary schools in Rochdale Borough. Furthermore, we have routine visits from Rochdale’s quality assurance partners, and school visits. All commissioning partners are subject to an SLA which specifies our partnership arrangements.

Apex Specialist Education is separate from Healey Learning Centre, and does not fall under the umbrella of registration, as no pupils with an EHCP are admitted via the alternative provision route, nor are they attending the provision full time. Despite this we ensure that the provision operates to the highest standard, and is subject to scrutiny from external partners, and internally via our Proprietary Board.