Teaching students in alternative provision: a tutor’s guide

Key takeaways

• →Alternative provision is for pupils who can’t be in mainstream lessons for now. The government wants it to be an intervention, not a destination.
• →Most students in alternative provision have additional needs: 82% in state-place funded AP had identified special educational needs.
• →Lead with the relationship: a fresh start every lesson, early wins and the same calm structure every time.
• →Record attendance on the day, report any absence straight away and keep school and family informed.

1. Start here: six habits that work in alternative provision

These habits come from the research on relationships and engagement in this guide, and from what works with students who have found school hard. They suit online and in-person lessons alike.

Hold the line, kindly: High expectations and warmth go together: “I know you can do this, so I’m not letting you off it.”

2. What alternative provision is

Alternative provision (AP) is education for pupils who can’t attend, or are struggling in, mainstream school: for example after an exclusion, because of health needs, or as a short placement to help them stay in school. It can be a pupil referral unit, a specialist setting, or one-to-one tuition commissioned by a school or council.

The government’s SEND and alternative provision improvement plan describes three tiers: targeted early support in mainstream school, time-limited placements, and longer placements that support a return to mainstream or a sustainable post-16 destination. It says AP should be used as an intervention, not a destination.^[1]

So your job is usually to help the student catch up, rebuild confidence and get back on track, not to replace school for good.

3. Who you’re likely to teach

Most students in AP have additional needs. The improvement plan reports that 82% of children and young people in state-place funded AP have identified special educational needs, so the strategies in our guide to supporting SEND students apply here too.^[1]

Many have had experiences that make trust hard: exclusion, difficulties at home, anxiety, or time in care. Some will test you early to see whether you’ll stay. Turning up on time, every time, and staying calm is part of the teaching.

4. Why the relationship comes first

A review of 99 studies found that positive, supportive relationships between teachers and pupils go with higher engagement and achievement, with the strongest links to engagement. Engagement is what turns into progress.^[2]

In practice: use their name, remember what they told you last week, notice effort out loud, and keep your tone the same whether the lesson is going well or badly. Repair quickly after a difficult moment, and never shame a student in front of others.

Be the most predictable adult in their week.

5. A lesson shape that works

Keep the shape the same every week, and fit the length to the student. Some students in AP manage 30 focused minutes better than 60.

6. Attendance, records and safety

A pupil in alternative provision usually stays on their school’s roll, and the school keeps the overall duty of care, so it needs to know whether the pupil attends. Log attendance in TutorCruncher on the day, and tell Brainhub straight away if a student doesn’t turn up, so school can follow it up.^[3]

The Department for Education has consulted on national standards for unregistered AP, including safeguarding and health and safety policies, an enhanced DBS check for all staff, attendance records and regular progress feedback to schools. Every Brainhub tutor already has an enhanced DBS check, follows our safeguarding policy and logs a report after every lesson.^[4]

Keeping children safe is everyone’s responsibility. Keep every contact on the agreed platform, never meet or message a student outside the agreed arrangements, and report any worry to Brainhub on the same day.^[5]

7. Working with school and home

Agree goals with the school and the family at the start: the qualifications or topics that matter most, and what a successful return or next step looks like. Share short progress notes the school can use in its reviews.

Parents and carers of students in AP have often had difficult conversations with schools. Lead with something positive in every update, explain what you’re working on in plain words, and ask what works at home. For a child in care, the carer, social worker and the council’s virtual school head may all be involved; the guidance says the virtual school head should be the educational advocate that parents are for other children. We’ll tell you who to keep informed.^[6]

8. When anxiety keeps a student away

Government guidance on mental health and attendance says some anxiety is normal, and that a long absence can make a pupil more anxious about returning. It recommends a plan that removes specific barriers, agreed with the family and reviewed regularly.^[7]

Small steps help: a short first session, the same time each week, and lots of early success. Agree any adjustments with the school and family, and tell them what works so they can build it into the plan.

9. How Brainhub can help

Brainhub provides one-to-one tuition for pupils with EHC plans, looked-after children and pupils outside mainstream school, commissioned by schools and local authorities, online or in person at our London hubs. Schools and councils can find out more on our alternative provision page.

1. 1. What does the government’s improvement plan say AP should be?

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2. 2. What share of children and young people in state-place funded AP have identified special educational needs?

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3. 3. A student doesn’t turn up. What do you do?

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Your next steps

1. 01

   Plan an easy win for the first five minutes of your next lesson.

2. 02

   Use the same lesson shape for the next four weeks.

3. 03

   Check your attendance and lesson notes are logged on the day.