Nacro’s response to the Education Select Committee’s report on alternative provision

Nacro welcomes the Education Select Committee’s report on alternative provision published today. We are pleased to see some of Nacro’s recommendations reflected in the report, particularly the importance of quality alternative provision and that funding for AP should continue post-16.
Helen Berresford, Director of External Engagement, said:

“We believe that all young people deserve high-quality education to achieve their full potential in life. In our experience, many people who come to our Education and Skills Centres have poor experiences of school, and have not engaged well in mainstream education. Dedicated alternative provision is therefore vital and must support each child to progress, have a clear pathway and ultimately achieve their potential.”

Nacro recommends high quality, smaller alternative provision units which help young people to access tangible work opportunities, academic careers or further education/apprenticeships. Funding for alternative provision should be available for young people up until the age of 18, to ensure enough time for young people to ‘catch up’ and be able to access future education and employment opportunities.

No child should be forgotten. We urge the Department of Education to act on the committee’s findings.