SEND & Alternative Provision
The children who most need a strong education are too often the ones the system serves least well. Children with special educational…
Explore
In alternative provision, keeping standards high, staying fully compliant, and improving what you offer are vital for every setting supporting children who can’t access mainstream school. To help you achieve this, independent reviews and audits give you a structured, objective way to assess your work, identify strengths, and highlight areas to develop. Delivered by external experts with no internal influence or bias, these evaluations offer a trusted benchmark of your provision and help you build confidence in the quality and impact of everything you do for some of the most vulnerable learners.
Independent reviews and audits are external checks and evaluations for alternative provisions. We look at your work objectively, using clear evidence to measure how you perform, what you follow correctly, and where you can do better. They give you a reliable, honest picture of your provision, free from internal bias.
While reviews focus on quality, impact, and how well things work for your young people, audits focus closely on compliance, rules, procedures, and whether you meet all required standards. Together, they give you a full view of your setting.
They are designed for all types of alternative provision: registered and unregistered settings, pupil referral units, AP academies and free schools, hospital education services, and providers delivering tuition, therapeutic, or vocational programmes. Leaders, governors, management committees, and senior teams use them to stay compliant, prove accountability, and raise standards across the board.
We cover every key area you need. You can choose a whole-setting review or audit, or focus on specific topics. Our most common services include:
Rules and guidance change often, and the picture is especially complex in AP. It can be hard to keep track. An independent audit checks every requirement against current standards. You know for sure you are following the law, DfE guidance, and statutory duties, including whether your setting needs to be registered. This reduces the risk of penalties, complaints, or regulatory concerns.
Internal teams might miss small gaps or things that have slipped. An external audit looks with fresh eyes. We find missing records, unclear procedures, or weak areas before they become problems. Fixing them early prevents small issues from becoming serious concerns, which matters most when you work with vulnerable children.
When inspectors, commissioning schools, local authorities, or parents ask, you have clear evidence. Our audit reports show exactly what you do, how you meet requirements, and what checks you have done. This builds trust and makes inspections smoother and less stressful.
We do the detailed checking for you. Our team knows exactly what to look for, so the work is done efficiently and thoroughly. Your staff can focus on teaching and supporting young people instead of trying to work through long checklists themselves.
Audits don’t just find problems. We tell you exactly how to fix them and how to make systems simpler and clearer. Better systems mean less work, fewer mistakes, and consistent practice across all staff, however small your team.
You get clear facts, not guesswork. Leaders and governors can make plans and budgets based on what the audit shows they need. This makes your strategy stronger and more focused.
Audits highlight where safety and safeguarding practices can be strengthened. In AP, where many children have experienced trauma, exclusion, or significant barriers, this matters more than ever. They encourage everyone to follow procedures consistently and take risks seriously. This builds a shared mindset in which safety comes first for both children and staff. It shows you are committed to protecting everyone in your setting, every day.
You receive a high-quality written report. It includes:
– Every finding is based on facts. You get clear assurance and clear priorities.
– Pick what you need: whole-setting, targeted, compliance, or thematic work. We adapt to you.
– Reports are simple to understand. They help you improve and prove your standards.
We understand alternative provision. We know the rules, the challenges, and what matters most when you support children who need something different from mainstream school. Our independent view helps you stay safe, compliant, and focused on giving every young person the best possible chance to succeed.
Want to know how a review or audit could help your setting? Just get in touch.
We support settings of every type across England and internationally.
We are only a message away. Contact us today and find out how we could help your school or trust to excel.
Leave your details and Shaun, our Founder and CEO, will get back to you. No pressure, no obligation, just a friendly chat.
Just a few details and Shaun will be in touch.
The children who most need a strong education are too often the ones the system serves least well. Children with special educational…
ExploreMore and more schools are setting up their own internal alternative provision, keeping vulnerable pupils on site rather than sending them away.…
ExploreAlternative provision serves some of the most vulnerable children in the system, which is exactly why the quality of it matters so…
ExploreWe use cookies to run our website, understand how it's used and improve your experience. You can accept all cookies, reject non-essential ones, or set your preferences. Read our Cookie Policy.
Required for the website to function, including remembering your cookie choices. These cannot be switched off.
Help us understand how the site is used, so we can measure and improve it. Collected anonymously through Google Analytics.