Alternative Provision

Specialist Support for Students Unable to Attend Mainstream School

Magisters Education provide a lifeline for young people who are unable to attend mainstream education due to exclusion, behavioural challenges, or other barriers to learning. Our Alternative Provision (AP) programmes offer personalised, flexible support designed to help students overcome such obstacles and achieve their full potential.

What is Alternative Provision?

Alternative Provision is a comprehensive, time-bound intervention that addresses the whole child, combining academic learning with therapeutic support, social development, and practical life skills.

Led by David Moran, Director of Alternative Provision and experienced Headteacher & Executive Principal with specialist expertise in SEMH, Autism, and Alternative Provision settings, our programmes help students find a pathway back to mainstream education, or a suitable specialist placement, to ensure their long-term success.

Programme 1: Supporting Students with Emotionally Based School Avoidance

Our first programme is specifically designed for Key Stage 3 and 4 students experiencing Emotionally Based School Avoidance (EBSA), whether confirmed or suspected. We recognise that school avoidance often stems from anxiety, trauma, or other emotional difficulties that require sensitive, specialist intervention. This programme supports both boys and girls, with or without an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP), providing a safe, nurturing environment where students can rebuild their confidence and relationship with learning.

We deliver 15 hours of support per week, flexibly scheduled either from 9am-12pm or 1pm-4pm to suit individual needs. Our approach combines home visits with tutoring where appropriate, online learning platforms, and small group sessions on-site with no more than five or six pupils at a time. Beyond academic delivery, we place equal emphasis on socialisation within the community, building friendship groups, and providing structured therapeutic interventions overseen by registered therapists. These include Creative Art Therapy, Drawing & Talking, and Solution Focused Brief Therapy.

Parents and carers are integral to our approach. We offer dedicated parental support groups and training to equip families with strategies to support their child's journey. Students also benefit from accredited programmes including Arts Award, ASDAN, and the Skills Builder framework. Throughout the programme, our focus remains on successful reintegration, with dedicated support to help students transition back into mainstream school or move into appropriate specialist provision.

Programme 2: Preventing Exclusion and Re-Engaging Distant Learners

Our second programme targets Year 9 to Year 11 students who are at risk of permanent exclusion or experiencing persistent low attendance. These young people often face multiple barriers to learning and may be disengaged from traditional education. Whether or not they have an EHCP, our tailored intervention provides the structure, support, and alternative approaches they need to re-engage with education and build a positive future.

Like Programme 1, we provide 15 hours of personalised support per week on a flexible schedule. Our delivery model is deliberately activity-based and varied, taking learning beyond the classroom to locations including fitness centres, forest schools, and climbing centres. This approach helps students who have become disengaged reconnect with learning in environments that spark their interest and build confidence.

Academic support is delivered through online learning platforms, ASDAN qualifications, and the Skills Builder programme, complemented by meaningful work experience opportunities and comprehensive Careers Information, Advice and Guidance (CIAG). Students receive one-to-one mentoring, home visits with tutoring support where needed, and Solution Focused Brief Therapy delivered by registered therapists. We also facilitate socialisation opportunities within the community and provide parental groups offering both support and practical training.

This time-bound programme is designed with clear goals: to stabilise attendance, address the underlying causes of disengagement, and create a sustainable pathway either back into mainstream education or into an appropriate specialist setting where the young person can succeed.

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We’re Here to Provide Academic, Social and Emotional Support

What sets Magisters Education's Alternative Provision apart is our commitment to addressing not just academic needs, but the social, emotional, and practical barriers that prevent young people from succeeding in life. Our small group sizes, therapeutic interventions, family support, and flexible delivery ensure that every student receives personalised education specifically tailored to their unique circumstances.

We believe that with the right support at the right time, every young person can overcome challenges and build a brighter future. Our Alternative Provision programmes are designed to do provide hope, opportunity, and a clear path forward for students who need it most.