Alternative Provision

This applies to all children of compulsory school age resident in the local authority area, whether or not they are on the roll of a school, and whatever type of school they attend.

Pupil Referral Units (PRU's) are a type of school established and run by the Local Authority specifically for pupils who cannot attend a mainstream school. There is a statutory requirement from the Department of Education that full-time education for excluded learners must begin no later than the sixth day of an exclusion.  

There is no such requirement for learners placed in alternative provision for reasons other than exclusion.  Any school that is established and maintained by a local authority to enable it to discharge the above duty is known as a pupil referral unit or PRU.  There is no requirement on local authorities to have or to establish a pupil referral unit, and they may discharge their duties by other means for example by commissioning places at an alternative provision such as the ones listed in the docuemnt opposite.

These are some of the main Alternative Provision setting's used by St Helens Virtual School to ensure that all chidlren have the opportunity to attend educational settings or learn an alternative skill.

St Helens Alternative Provision (Excel doc, 49 KB)(opens new window)

St Helen Alternative Provision Service

The Alternative Provision Service

is committed to providing a planned programme of careers education, information, advice and guidance for all students referred from mainstream school in Years 7 to 11.The programme is guided by the Gatsby benchmarks for ensuring best practice. The Alternative Provision Service is keen to work in accordance with the Government's recommendation that "all schools should work towards a quality award for careers education, information, advice and guidance as an effective means of carrying out a self-review and evaluation of the school's programme."

Our service also provides a range of opportunities which encompass the vocational sector, naturally linking education and industry. Our aim is to work in partnership with a provider of independent and impartial advice to explore growth sectors in the region, as well as raise awareness of opportunities in the current labour market and preparing students for these career experiences.

St Helens LaunchPad

Tracey Harvey, the Head of Provision for Launchpad KS4 & Alternative Education,

 has coordinated a programme with Careers Connect to work across the three bases at KS3, KS4 and Tuition. This will include a range of opportunities including careers interviews, mock interviews, apprenticeship days, employability skills and meaningful employer encounters as well as exploration of careers within the curriculum for years 7-11. Work on careers is also supported by targeted work within PSHE, where students have the opportunity to produce their own CV's, research and explore a range of careers as well as develop individual employability skills. They are also supported through presentations, employer visits, work placements, workshops, careers fairs, college and university visits and 1:1 impartial and independent guidance. 

Our Careers Adviser Jo Patten supports, informs and inspires students so that they are able to make well informed and realistic decisions about their future. She works primarily with Year 11 with their final preparations towards Post 16 Education. A programme of group sessions in line with Gatsby Benchmarks is also delivered to support KS3 and Year 10 students.