Alternative Provision Update

Fiona Hostler will be leaving OCC on 23 September, following her interim period across the Exclusions and Reintegration Team (ERT) and Alternative Provision (AP) team. She will be moving to a permanent role in another authority. 

The team have achieved some great progress over the period, with the imminent publication of a new policies and plans for implementation over the next phase of the service. This includes an updated medical policy; now a Section 19 policy “Ensuring Access to education for children unable to attend school”, an Alternative Provision 3-year Strategic Plan delivered by the re-launched AP steering group and a school’s good practice AP toolkit. Schools will be invited to briefings on the new documents, when published, in the Autumn term, whilst SENCO’s will receive a briefing at their network meeting in September.

OCC have also embedded a significant increase in staffing capacity within this area. The permanent structure has now been approved, and while interim staff are currently in place to provide continuity and support, we will shortly commence recruitment to the substantive permanent posts. This will ensure a fully established Alternative Learning Pathways (ALP) Team to support the identification, advice, guidance and management of Alternative Provision packages for children receiving support under Section 19 arrangements.

We have agreed interim arrangements for a short period prior to permanent arrangements secured. Ryan Jarvis Ryan.Jarvis@Oxfordshire.gov.uk, who has been leading policy work with the Attendance Team due to conclude, will step into the space as interim service manager. 

The Council is working hard to secure long term permanency to this area.