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Following an increase in demand for alternative provision services, Nottinghamshire County Council has announced a new approach to contracting providers to meet the needs of local children and young people.

The council says the new commissioning framework, which has been designed based on feedback from families, will improve outcomes for children and young people.

Alternative provision is education arranged by local authorities for children of compulsory school age who, because of illness or other reasons, would not otherwise receive suitable education. It can be provided in non-school settings which are unregistered and not subject to Ofsted inspection, so the council is responsible for monitoring the safety and quality of the services it commissions. 

Services may be provided to children and young people with or without special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) including those who have an education, health and care plan (EHCP) outlining the additional support they need.

To meet the growing need for alternative provision, the council has announced that it will move away from a traditional approved provider list, instead using a blended commissioning model with five specific ‘Lots’. These will include individual placements, block bookings, accredited online providers, one-to-one tutoring and full-time registered providers. 

The refreshed approach aims to improve the availability of local provision, reduce travel costs, increase specialist expertise and improve outcomes for young people, as well as improving engagement with education and re-integration into a school setting.

Councillor Hana John, Cabinet Member for Education and SEND at Nottinghamshire County Council, said:

“We’re really pleased to introduce our new approach to commissioning alternative provision, which is designed to secure the best possible options for our children and young people. This means giving them greater access to better services so they receive the right support at the right time, especially when they are temporarily unable to attend school.

“Our team has worked closely with families and listened carefully to their experiences. As a result, we are changing how we work to ensure families benefit from more local provision, reduced travel time, and increased provision that offers specialised expertise in tailored subject areas.

“Our innovative new approach will be a positive step for local providers. It will create more opportunities for smaller providers and help us build much better working relationships between the council and the organisations we commission.

“As a council, we are committed to investing in our children and young people. These ambitious changes will make services more flexible and efficient, help reduce transport costs, and ensure we can respond effectively to future changes across the county.

“Most importantly, this means better outcomes for our young people. They will have the right support for their education, their social and emotional development, and their health and wellbeing. We want to raise aspirations, improve attendance and attainment, keep high engagement in learning, all whilst enabling them to successfully re-integrate into a school setting.”

The new commissioning model is expected to launch for the new academic year in September 2026. The council will be inviting providers to apply from early 2026.