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Alternative Provision

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Students on roll with APT have access to bespoke individualised timetables consisting of vocational qualifications with off site alternative providers. APT commission alternative providers for the school that are high quality and can offer at least a good standard of education to our students. We currently have 30 alternative providers that students have access to depending on location in the county.

 

The following subjects may be on offer to your child:-

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  • Animal Care

  • Angling

  • Bicycle Maintenance

  • Boxing

  • Business Studies

  • Catering

  • Childcare

  • Construction

  • Digital Media

  • Employability

  • Engineering

  • Equine and stable management

  • Graffiti Art

  • Hair and Beauty

  • Horticulture

  • Land based Studies

  • Motor Vehicle

  • Music

  • Personal and Social development

  • Sport

 

In addition to working towards vocational qualifications, all students are expected to achieve English and Maths. This is usually through working towards a Functional Skill qualification rather than a GCSE. Students can have English and Maths sessions delivered by either:=

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  • their APT keyworker in one to one sessions in their home or at an arranged venue

  • a tutor from an alternative provider in their home or at an arranged venue 

  • have the qualification delivered in a vocational provision if possible

 

All students also engage in Personal and Social Development (PSE) studies. This can include a range of topics including careers, healthy lifestyles, keeping safe, substance misuse, sexual relationships and discrimination. This can also be delivered by the options above.

 

 READING INITIATIVES

Some students may benefit from a reading initiative called “That Reading Thing”. This can be delivered by their APT Keyworker in one to one sessions. It helps students with strategies for sounding words and rapidly builds their confidence. This is an extremely positive programme and students are able to develop their reading skills very quickly. Students will be encouraged to read at their vocational provisions on a daily basis.

 

HOW CAN PARENTS FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE CURRICULUM?

The subjects on offer to APT students are so diverse. Each subject may be offered by several different exam boards depending on which alternative provision the student attends. More information about each qualification can be obtained from the APT keyworkers or APT Lead Debbie Beckett.

 

APPROACH TO DELIVERING THE CURRICULUM

Every student in APT has a different timetable which caters for need, interest, skill set and engagement. Students may have engaged in some kind of vocational alternative provision before and we will always attempt to continue with this if we can.

Our focus is to re-engage students in education, improve attendance and achieve outcomes. In order to do this we will take into consideration the interests of the student or aspirations for post 16 employment or education. As part of our induction, students will visit selected alternative providers. A timetable will then be discussed with the student and parents/carers and confirmed once a plan for English, Maths and PSE are added.

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Students can attend a variety of alternative providers over their week, however they can only attend one company for a maximum of 3 days. Students could therefore attend construction for 2 days, motor vehicle for 1 day and angling for 1 day and work with their keyworker on the 5th day to study English, Maths and PSE.

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Although educational opportunities for students in APT are diverse, there are restrictions with timetabling. The alternative providers cover a vast area from Nottingham to Manchester. Students may be expected to travel up to around 45 -60 minutes to reach a provider. Their chosen subject may not be on offer in their local area and the time and distance to travel must be considered.  

 

Some students may come on roll with APT very late in year 11 and so our focus would be career planning. However, achieving English and Maths would be a priority to enable the student to be as successful as possible in securing their future plans, whether this be employment, an apprenticeship or a college course. 

 

MEASURING THE QUALITY OF THE ALTERNATIVE PROVIDERS

All of our alternative providers are commissioned by our school specifically to work with our students. The providers go through a strict process to confirm that they can keep our students safe. Their quality is monitored by APT who have formal procedures to report on standards of education using Ofsted criteria. Quality is monitored through a combination of unannounced learning walks several times per year and a full day’s quality assurance visit. Some providers are also visited by Ofsted Inspectors when our school is subject to an Ofsted inspection. APT staff are also in regular contact with the providers, sometimes visiting on a daily/weekly basis. Providers report back to us on a daily basis to let us know how students have behaved and engaged and inform us about what they have learnt.

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We are committed to offering the best quality education and therefore will only use providers who have been judged as good or outstanding. Sometimes a small minority of providers may fall short of our expectations and we will work in collaboration with them to improve standards. We will no longer use alternative providers who fail to increase quality and meet our expectations.

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