Special Schools and Alternative Provision

Information on specialist settings and alternate provision providers for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND)

On this page, you can find:

Special Schools

Some children have long term, significant and complex needs and will require an Education, Health and Care Plan specifying a specialist placement within one of Doncaster’s special schools.

Independent Special Schools

The Department for Education's (DfE) list of approved independent special schools, non-maintained special schools and post 16 institution providers is known as Section 41.

If a child’s parent or a young person makes a request for a particular nursery, school or post-16 institution in these groups the local authority must comply with that preference and name the school or college in the EHC plan unless:

  • it would be unsuitable for the age, ability, aptitude or SEN of the child or young person, or
  • the attendance of the child or young person there would be incompatible with the efficient education of others, or the efficient use of resources.

The child’s parent or the young person may also make representations for places in non-maintained early years provision, independent schools, independent specialist colleges or other post-16 providers that are not on the list of Section 41 providers and the Local Authority must consider their request. The Local Authority is not under the same conditional duty to name the provider but must have regard to the general principle that children should be educated in accordance with their parents’ wishes, so long as this is compatible with the provision of efficient instruction and training and does not mean unreasonable public expenditure. The Local Authority should be satisfied that the institution would admit the child or young person before naming it in a plan since these providers are not subject to the duty to admit a child or young person even if named in their plan.

Alternative Provision

 Alternative provision is defined as ‘education arranged by local authorities for pupils who, because of exclusion, illness or other reasons, would not otherwise receive suitable education; education arranged by schools for pupils on a fixed period exclusion; and pupils being directed by schools to off-site provision to improve their behaviour’ (DfE 2013).

 

Lot Number

Description

Lot 1

 

Alternative Provision to promote engagement and/or reengagement to mainstream school – Short Term Reintegration

Lot 2

Alternative Provision to support Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Short/Medium/Long Term reintegration and/or reengagement.

Lot 3

 

Key Stage 4 Pupil Referral Unit

Lot 4

 

Independent Special Schools
To provide full-time, suitable education for pupils with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) or specific needs which cannot be met within the mainstream and/or maintained specialist provision.  

Lot 5

 

Independent Residential Special Schools
To provide full-time education and full or part time care provision for pupils with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) or specific needs which cannot be met within the mainstream/specialist provision.

Lot 6

 

Specialist Post 16 Provision

To provide Post 16 education for pupils who have Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)

Lot 7

 

One to one tuition

To provide one to one educational provision for individual Children and Young People within the home, online or within the community

Lot 8

 

Supported Internships

To provide structured, work-based study programmes for 16 to 24-year-olds with SEND, who have an education, health, and care (EHC) plan and targeted at those furthest away from the labour market.

Maintained Alternative Provisions

Maple Medical

Maple Medical  is a split site Pupil Referral Unit which serves the whole of the Doncaster area. All the pupils who attend the Centre have medical needs.There are four areas of Maple:
  • JASP (Joint Agency Support Provision): For pupils accessing CAMHS support at tier 3. This is situated in Balby. 
  • The Hospital School: For children who are in hospital. This is situated in the Women and Children’s hospital at Doncaster Royal Infirmary. 
  • Link Education Centre: For children who are too ill to attend mainstream but are not in hospital. This is situated in Balby. 
  • Home Tuition: For pupils who are too ill for mainstream or Link and need to be educated at home.
The Centre aims to help pupils prepare for return to mainstream school or for the requirements of the adult world

The Levett School

The Levett School  based in Sprotborough is a Pupil Referral Unit that provides short and long term provision for pupils who require additional support for their behaviour. The centre is a through PRU and caters for pupils from reception to year 9 with the aim of returning pupils back to mainstream education.

Approved Alternative Provision Providers

Act Fast Ltd

Act Fast is a registered school based in Scunthorpe which provides alternative provision for young people.
The aim to give every young person the opportunity to reintegrate and to take a range of GCSE exams.
They also have an accredited exam centre which we will extend to meet the needs of learners through OCR, NCFE, IMI, D of E when required.  

Big Picture Doncaster

Big Picture based in Bentley, Doncaster offers bespoke learning packages predominantly for children in years 7 and 8 who have so far struggled to meaningfully engage with a more traditional offer.

Castles Education

Castles Education based in Gainsborough offers alternative pathways to learning through to Key Stage 4, where traditional methods do not suit the young person's needs. Our approach allows us to tailor our curriculum to the unique strengths, interests, and learning styles of our students.

Changing Lives through Changing Minds CIC

Based in Coleby North Lincolnshire Changing Lives Alternative Therapeutic Provision is a Community Interest Company – Not for Profit The aim of the provision is to provide a therapeutic alternative service for children and young people who have difficulties in, or are disengaged from, education due to mental health difficulties, or have an identified therapeutic need. The setting is based in a rural location, allowing a safe outdoor space and a herd of horses to aid outcomes. They work with children and young people on site, in school, in their homes and/or on outreach programs.

Cirque Skills Pathway CIC

Based on Silver Street in Doncaster. Learners attending Cirque will have the opportunity to complete a blended Programme of Study. Learners can gain a variety of qualifications which is decided after an initial assessment and understanding individual learning styles and ambitions, along with discussions with the referral partner to understand specific needs and to compliment other areas of learning.Each learner follows an individual learning plan to create a bespoke education package for their needs to include SEND and personal ambitions. This is a part time provision offering most learners 4 days per week.

Doncaster Culture and Leisure Trust

Dearne Valley Personal Development Centre

Dearne Valley PDC based in Mexborough, Doncaster.

Enhancement Training and Developing Futures

Enhancement Training based in Balby, Doncaster. It opened in September 2009 as a purpose-built Training Centre, offering places to NEET learners aged 12 to 16. Developing Futures opened in September 2017 offering places to students who are interested in Animal Care. 

EPIC Learning

EPIC Learning, City Centre, Doncaster.

First Class Tailored Solutions

First Class Tailored Solutions covers a wide geographical area within the East Midlands and South Yorkshire.

  • FCTS provides tuition across all Key Stages – Primary to Post-16.
  • The bespoke educational packages are flexible in terms of location, hours of input and content.
  • Tutors work mainly on a 1:1 basis either in the home, in schools, in libraries or other appropriate venues. Tutoring sessions can also be provided outside of school hours.
  • There are opportunities for paired or small group work where required.

Five Rivers Childcare

Field Gate School is a small independent SEMH school for pupils aged 6-18, in Fish Lake, Doncaster.

1ACE

1ACE Doncaster is an our outreach provision, focuses on offsite enrichment learning and activities. 

Future Pathways CIC

Future Pathways City Centre, Doncaster.
The setting aims for reintegration into mainstream. They deliver Maths & English GCSE and Functional Skills alongside a number of interest-led Vocational Courses such as:
• Boxing, Fitness and Sports 
• Art, Photography and Fashion 
• Music Technology, Media Studies and DJ & Mixing 
• Catering, Food Hygiene and Life Skills
• Fully accredited Beauty Qualifications including Nail, Hair, Makeup and Beauty Therapy 

Higher Rhythm

Higher Rhythm Ltd city centre, Doncaster is a not for profit organisation, providing music industry, radio, digital and creative industry training.

Isle Study Centre

Isle Study Centre based in Haxey, Doncaster. The provision focuses on improving children’s emotional and mental health by putting in place appropriate therapy interventions.

Journey Education

Journey based in Balby, Doncaster is an academic and therapeutic hybrid provision offering various support packages, incorporating both academia, therapy and nurture programmes. 

KB Education: Phoenix

Phoenix based in Fenwick, Doncaster is a bespoke, child centred outdoor provision that tailors its curriculum to meet the specific SEND needs of individuals. English and Maths skills are embedded into the daily activities and where appropriate may result in ASDAN qualifications.  

PLUS Skills Development Ltd

Skills Centre Plus based in Scunthorpe is a SEND provision for Young people aged 16-25 who have an EHCP. It offers certificated courses in Woodwork, Construction, Hair & Beauty, Photography, Welding, Art projects, Motor Vehicle and more.

St Wilfrid's Academy

St Wifrid’s Academy based in Cantley, Doncaster is an alternative provision free school. Learning is based around an academic timetable following the National Curriculum at KS2 and KS3 and GCSEs and vocational placements for KS4, along with a range of therapeutic interventions and enrichment opportunities. Both short term assessment placements (6 weeks) and long term places for students with more complex needs are offered.

Sugarman Education

Sugarman Education sources local specialist and experienced Teachers to work alongside children and young adults with a wide range of addition barriers to learning, including disability and Special Education Needs (SEN). 

Team Adventurous Outdoor

TAO  offer a predominantly outdoor education and adventure therapy provision, with some young people undertaking art projects and work experience.

Targeted Provision

Targeted Provision is a specialist education provider delivering 1-to-1 tuition and mentoring for young people whose needs are not being met in the school environment. They can deliver between 2 and 18 hours of support a week, either online or face to face. They support learners with additional needs from Early Years through to post-16 who.

The Lighthouse School

Lighthouse is based in Brough, East Yorkshire.

The Unity Project

The Unity Project (South Yorkshire) is based in Sheffield. 

Vega College

Vega College Trafford Way, Doncaster are an alternative provision that provides 2 days bespoke education alongside a 1-day work placement. The remaining days, students are expected to attend their mainstream school. They are a GCSE provision offering additional vocational accredited and non-accredited qualifications. Vega College is for students who struggle in mainstream school due to anxieties around environment size, the number of lessons and the pace of the day.

YMCA

Central YMCA  offer education for learners who may not be suited to mainstream school, or who are not in education, employment or training. They provide a learning environment that encompasses accredited qualifications, employability skills, social skills and life skills to support progression back into school, college or employment.

Resources

Alternative Provision Booklet - Sep 2024
Download (1.33MB - PDF)

Links

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