Services 

The team arrange education for children and young people who have been permanently excluded or who because of illness, or for another reason, are not able to access education through their school. 

Part-Time Timetables (PMOE)

All pupils of compulsory school age are entitled to a full-time education. In very exceptional circumstances, where it is in a pupil’s best interests, there may be a need for a temporary part-time timetable to meet their individual needs. For example, where a medical condition prevents a pupil from attending full-time education and a part-time timetable is considered as part of a re-integration package. A part-time timetable should not be used to manage a pupil’s behaviour.

A part-time timetable must only be in place for the shortest time necessary and not be treated as a long-term solution. Any pastoral support programme or other agreement should have a time limit by which point the pupil is expected to attend full-time, either at school or alternative provision. There should also be formal arrangements in place for regularly reviewing it with the pupil and their parents. In agreeing to a part-time timetable, a school has agreed to a pupil being absent from school for part of the week or day and therefore must treat absence as authorised.

Local Authorities have a statutory responsibility to identify and track any pupil missing education or not accessing full-time education in the usual way. The regulatory framework for LA areas and schools now includes scrutiny of children who are missing from education, attending provision or school part time, or being offered alternative provision via the  reporting portal

Ofsted require the local authority to keep a central database of information regarding these pupils for both safeguarding and education purposes; this forms a key part of the ‘integrated Looked After Children and Safeguarding Inspectors’. The above requirements are clearly noted in Ofsted’s publication from November 2013 ‘Pupils Missing Out on Education’.

This document describes how important it is that both schools (including academies) and local authorities monitor and track all pupils who access alternative provision. The report defines Pupils as Missing Out On Education (PMOE) as ‘pupils of compulsory school age who are not accessing full time education (either in school or alternative provision)’. Ofsted says that all school’s including academies and free schools should inform the local authority of any part-time education arrangements regardless of the type of school.

Suspensions Reporting

The school is responsible for ensuring they notify the Local Authority, without delay of any suspensions via reporting portal

The school must also inform, without delay the parents and if the pupil has a Social Worker, or if the pupil is looked-after, the Headteacher must also without delay notify the Social Worker or Virtual School Head, as applicable, when a pupil has been suspended.

Permanent Exclusions 

If a school decides to permanently exclude a pupil they must, without delay, inform the Local Authority by emailing schoolinclusion@bcpcouncil.gov.uk including the information necessary for a new placement to be arranged.

The school must also inform, without delay the parents and if the pupil has a Social Worker, or if the pupil is looked-after, the Headteacher must also without delay notify the Social Worker or Virtual School Head, as applicable.

It is important for schools to help minimise the disruption that permanent exclusion can cause to a pupil’s education. Whilst the statutory duty on governing boards or local authorities is to arrange full-time education from the sixth day of a permanent exclusion, there is an obvious benefit to the pupil in starting this provision as soon as possible. Once the Local Authority are informed that a child has been permanently excluded and supporting information has been received from the school, the team will arrange a new placement. 

For more information and advice about the permanent exclusion process please contact: schoolinclusion@bcpcouncil.gov.uk  

It is worth noting:

• following a permanent exclusion, the school’s Governing Body must consider and decide on the reinstatement of a permanently excluded pupil within 15 school days of receiving notice of a suspension or permanent exclusion from the headteacher.  The outcome of the meeting must be communicated to the Local Authority by emailing schoolinclusion@bcpcouncil.gov.uk;
• the DfE’s School Regulations state that, where a pupil is excluded, money should follow in-year from the excluding school or academy to the provision that takes responsibility for the education of the pupil. Therefore, schools will be invoiced accordingly following a permanent exclusion.

Pupils who, because of illness, or for another reason, are not able to access education through school

School should inform the Local Authority where pupils are likely to miss more than 15 days of school, and school are unable to provide suitable education for the child. Before informing the Local Authority, the school should ensure that the parents and carers of the child are engaging with any support that has been offered and that they are fulfilling their responsibility to ensure their child attends school regularly. Schools should also ensure that they have provided support and made reasonable adaptions to support the pupil’s attendance, whilst the child is ill, or not able to access education for another reason. 

Support for Pupils where a Mental Health Issue is affecting attendance: 

Support for pupils where a mental health issue is affecting attendance: effective practice examples (publishing.service.gov.uk)

Supporting pupils at school with medical conditions:

 Supporting pupils at school with medical conditions (publishing.service.gov.uk)

Working together to improve school attendance: 

Working together to improve school attendance - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

When notifying the Local Authority, the school must include the evidence at the time of submitting a request for alternative provision. Supporting Evidence to be included is as follows:

• Established reasons why the pupil will not be able to attend school and evidence that school have concluded that the absence should be authorised (unauthorised absence should be addressed through school attendance processes).
• TAC/TAF process undertaken (with parents and other professionals involved), plan implemented and reviewed for 2 reviews, to mitigate any school-related reasons for non-attendance (e.g. anxiety resulting from friendships, work pressure, exams).
• Evidence of any additional pastoral support and reasonable adjustments made in order to overcome specific barriers to attendance (e.g. a trusted adult regularly checking how the pupil is feeling, providing a quiet space at break times, additional educational support and tutoring.
• Evidence of referrals to in-school or external professional support, including supporting parents to visit a health professional. This might include community groups, counselling services, psychological practitioners or, where available, Mental Health Support Teams and school nursing services.
• Evidence that the SEND graduated response has been followed, if necessary and the EHNCA has been requested.
• For medical conditions, completion of a Medical Evidence Form by a medical professional – please refer to Key Documents and Polices to access the form.
• Where there is clear evidence from a consultant that the pupil cannot attend school.

Once the team have been notified that a pupil will not be able to attend school and have received the supporting evidence, the team will triage the alternative provision request and update the school accordingly on the outcome.

School should continue to work with the family to provide educational provision whilst determining with the LA whether alternative provision should be provided.  

If alternative provision is agreed and arranged, the accountability for the pupil remains with the mainstream school overall, safeguarding pupil’s is everyone's responsibility. The mainstream school and the AP School are accountable for the periods when the pupil is with them for safeguarding, education plan, including attendance, and progress. 

The pupil’s plan is required to be reviewed by school every 6 weeks until the child is able to return to their mainstream education and alternative provision is no longer required from the Local Authority.   

For information and advice about children who are unable to attend school please contact: schoolinclusion@bcpcouncil.gov.uk  

Expectations if alternative provision is agreed:

• The expectation is that the AP school and mainstream school will ensure that the AP team receive an Individual Plan for each child, within 6 weeks of the start date.
• The expectation will be that the mainstream school review the plan in a 6 weekly cycle and evidence of the review is sent to the Local Authority. Reviews should include AP school, mainstream school, parent, child (where appropriate) and any other professionals involved to ensure that progress is made and a plan for reintegration, if appropriate, is worked towards in a timely manner.
• The mainstream school will provide a link teacher as a point of contact and remain the lead professional throughout the pupil's alternative placement. The expectations of the mainstream school will participate the pupil's reviews.  
• Accountability for the pupil remains with the mainstream school overall; safeguarding pupils is everyone's responsibility. The mainstream school and the AP School are accountable for the periods when the pupil is with them for safeguarding, education plan, including attendance, and progress. 

 Staff contact information and team details