By Amy Husband, Head of School Academic, Academy21 

The younger a pupil is when they access alternative provision, the more likely they are to successfully return to mainstream education. This compelling finding from the Department for Education’s 2022 publication, Alternative provision for primary-age pupils in England, is precisely why primary school is such a critical window for intervention. 

Alternative provision (AP) in the younger years can set pupils on a trajectory that will guide them to reintegration and keep them engaged throughout their future school years. But, for many primary school leaders, the AP landscape presents unique challenges. How do we ensure quality, what does success actually look like, and crucially, how do we pave the road to reintegration?

Redefining success in primary alternative provision
Focusing solely on academic attainment in Key Stage 2, alternative provision can miss the bigger picture. For younger children in particular, the real marker of success lies in establishing the foundations for positive learning, such as improvements in attendance, behaviour, engagement, and social skills.

To build those foundations, the right support is key. The Education Endowment Foundation's 2021 report Improving Behaviour in Schools emphasises that “every pupil should have a supportive relationship with a member of school staff,” but how you interpret the word “supportive” makes all the difference. As per recent EEF recommendations, rather than building heavily adult-supported relationships, the key to success is ensuring that staff are highly trained to support young pupils to develop their independence. This balance is especially important in primary AP, where reintegration is the focus.

Five tips for implementing primary AP at your school
With over 12 years of experience leading and setting up provisions across diverse settings, we’ve identified several key strategies that schools should keep in mind for successful alternative provision at the primary school age.

1. Tailor AP to your school
From pupil demographics to socio-economic factors in your community, there are so many variables that can impact what successful AP should look like for your pupils. To ensure you get a tailored solution, ask yourself and your colleagues what your vision is for each child, the outcomes you’re striving for, how you’ll measure progress along the way, and how you can ensure AP works in conjunction with the supportive relationships you’re building across your school.

2. Focus on reintegration
Given that alternative provision has the highest reintegration success with younger pupils, it’s important to frame AP as an intervention working towards reintegration. This should be explicitly communicated to all involved, including staff, parents, and the children themselves.

3. Prioritise parent relationships
Younger children benefit enormously when home and school are aligned on their goals. While DfE research shows that parents are generally positive about their children's experience in Key Stage 2 AP, they sometimes perceive long-term expectations as too low. Clearly communicating your school’s aspirations for children in alternative provision helps everyone get on board and work towards the same outcomes.

4. Consider online AP
There are lots of avenues for implementing alternative provision, from in-house setups to external placements. One particularly beneficial route to consider is online AP. Online provision provides schools with immediate support at a cost-effective rate, which makes it an ideal way to get initial AP efforts off the ground without a burden on staff and resources. As online AP can be accessed on-site with teacher supervision or in a comfortable setting at home, it offers the versatility schools need to support a range of pupil needs.

5. Choose an accredited provider
If you do choose to partner with an online provider, look for DfE accreditation. Accreditation offers your school reassurance that the provider has been thoroughly assessed across all crucial standards, from curriculum to safeguarding.

Taking the first steps
Taking decisive action with young children in need of alternative provision can be daunting for schools taking their first steps, but the window of opportunity in the primary years cannot be overstated. With thoughtful implementation, primary AP can be instrumental in addressing barriers to learning before they take strong root, helping our youngest pupils build the foundations they need to thrive in mainstream education.

Amy Husband is Head of School Academic at Academy21, an ASCL Premier Partner.