What is a commissioned place?

When a school or local authority decides a pupil needs education somewhere else, it commissions a place with a provider. This can be a single pupil for a few hours a week or a block of places bought for the year. The commissioner and provider should agree the details before the placement starts, including the number of hours, the aims of the placement, how progress and attendance will be shared, safeguarding arrangements and how the placement will be reviewed and ended.

In England, government guidance on arranging alternative provision says commissioners should check a provider’s suitability, including safeguarding and staff checks, and keep oversight of each pupil. When a school places one of its own pupils with a provider, the school keeps responsibility for that pupil, including recording their attendance.

England and Wales

Both nations use commissioning for alternative provision, but the guidance differs. In Wales, local authorities commission education other than at school (EOTAS) under Welsh Government guidance.

Why it matters for your setting

• Each commissioner may want different information, so keep the referral details, contacts and agreed hours for every pupil.
• Prompt reports on attendance and progress build trust and make it more likely you will be commissioned again.
• Clear records help at review meetings and when a pupil moves on.

How PupilDB helps

PupilDB records who commissioned each placement and why, with its type, dates, hours and the people involved. Targets and six-weekly reviews sit on the placement, a printable summary for each school or local authority is ready for your termly meeting, and a daily log lets you send each pupil’s day to their commissioning school once a lead has checked it. When the placement ends, record where the pupil went next and, about six months later, whether the move lasted.