EOTAS
Personalised education packages where education is arranged otherwise than at school and individual delivery is required.
COMMISSIONED EDUCATION FOR LOCAL AUTHORITIES
Flexible Education Provision for Complex and Individual Needs
Reconnect Learning works with local authorities to provide personalised education and specialist support for children and young people who require an alternative, flexible or individualised pathway.
Provision can support EOTAS arrangements, alternative provision, SEND and EHCP outcomes, persistent absence, EBSNA, placement gaps, home tuition, outreach and reintegration, with clear safeguarding, reporting and review.
COMMISSIONED SUPPORT AT A GLANCE
Local authorities can commission:
Alternative provision and personalised education
EOTAS and individual education packages
1:1 home, community and online tuition
SEND and EHCP-informed provision
Outreach and engagement programmes
Reintegration, transition and qualification support
Model
Individual Provision
Needs
SEND & EBSNA
Delivery
Flexible Settings
Evidence
Outcome Reporting
Practice
Safeguarding-Led
LOCAL AUTHORITY PARTNERSHIPS
Personalised provision that can sit within wider statutory and multi-agency plans
Some children and young people require education that cannot be delivered effectively through a standard mainstream timetable alone. Their needs may include SEND, EBSNA, complex attendance barriers, disrupted education, placement breakdown or a requirement for education outside school.
Reconnect Learning can provide flexible commissioned education around the individual learner while contributing attendance, progress, safeguarding and outcome information to the wider professional network.
Our Commissioning Principle
The commissioned package should be proportionate, purposeful and built around the learner's actual needs, rather than fitting the learner into a standard provision model.
WHEN COMMISSIONED PROVISION MAY BE REQUIRED
Support for learners who need a different education pathway
SEND & EHCP Needs
Provision informed by identified needs, relevant outcomes, professional advice and agreed education arrangements.
EBSNA & Persistent Absence
Flexible education and re-engagement where emotional or other barriers are significantly affecting attendance.
Placement Breakdown
Education continuity during or following breakdown of a school, AP or specialist placement.
Awaiting Placement
Structured education while a longer-term school, specialist or post-16 placement is being identified.
Complex Reintegration
A staged pathway for learners returning to education after prolonged absence, exclusion or disrupted provision.
Medical or Health Needs
Flexible tuition where health needs affect access to usual educational provision.
Exclusion Risk
Personalised intervention where a learner's current placement is unstable or at risk.
Post-16 Transition
Academic, life-skills, careers and progression support where a young person needs a personalised transition pathway.
LOCAL AUTHORITY SERVICES
Flexible commissioned provision across education and specialist support
Alternative Provision Services
Personalised education for children and young people who require an alternative to part or all of their usual timetable.
Alternative Provision Services →EOTAS Support
Flexible 1:1 and blended education arrangements designed around individual need and agreed outcomes.
EOTAS Support →Home Tuition
Personalised teaching in an agreed home or community setting where school-based education is not currently accessible.
Home Tuition →Outreach Programmes
Education, engagement, mentoring and transition support delivered within agreed community or outreach settings.
Outreach Programmes →SEND & EHCP Support
Personalised provision informed by additional needs, professional advice and relevant EHCP outcomes.
SEND & EHCP Support →Academic & Transition Support
GCSE, Functional Skills, life skills, careers, mentoring and reintegration can be combined where required.
PERSONALISED COMMISSIONED PACKAGES
One package can bring together the support required around the learner
Provision can combine academic education with engagement, wellbeing, independence, SEND-informed support and transition planning where these form part of agreed outcomes.
1:1 tuition
Home tuition
Online learning
English & Maths
GCSE support
Functional Skills
SEND-informed teaching
EBSNA support
Mentoring
Mental health & wellbeing
Life skills
Careers & aspirations
Preparation for adulthood
Reintegration planning
Learner voice
COMMISSIONING PROCESS
A clear route from referral to reviewed provision
1
Refer
Share learner needs, risks and intended outcomes.
2
Review
Consider suitability, SEND and safeguarding.
3
Plan
Agree hours, delivery, outcomes and communication.
4
Match
Identify an appropriate tutor, mentor or specialist.
5
Deliver
Provision begins against the agreed plan.
6
Review
Evaluate progress, outcomes and next steps.
MULTI-AGENCY WORKING
Provision that communicates with the wider professional network
Commissioner Communication
Reporting and communication arrangements can be agreed around the needs of the placement and commissioning team.
Named commissioner contacts
Attendance and engagement updates
Safeguarding escalation routes
Review meetings
Progress and outcome reporting
Wider Professional Network
Where appropriate and authorised, provision can contribute information to wider planning and review around the learner.
Schools and SENCOs
SEND and EHCP teams
Social care
Health and therapeutic professionals
Virtual School and other education professionals
REPORTING & ACCOUNTABILITY
Clear evidence of what the provision is achieving
Attendance
Attendance, punctuality, cancellations and participation against the commissioned timetable.
Engagement
Communication, readiness to learn, task completion and developing participation.
Academic Progress
Progress from starting points across agreed curriculum or qualification priorities.
SEND & EHCP Outcomes
Progress against relevant agreed outcomes where these form part of the commissioned provision.
Learner Voice
The learner's experience, views, strengths and identified barriers.
Next Steps
Recommendations around continuation, transition, reintegration or future pathways.
SAFEGUARDING & QUALITY ASSURANCE
Professional systems around every commissioned placement
Safeguarding
Designated safeguarding leadership, recording processes and clear escalation arrangements.
Safeguarding →Safer Recruitment
Appropriate vetting, references, identity checks, DBS arrangements and induction.
Policies & Compliance →Risk Assessment
Learner, venue, activity, online and lone-working risks considered before and during provision.
Quality Assurance
Tutor monitoring, observations, progress review and learner feedback support oversight of delivery.
Attendance & Welfare
Attendance and non-attendance are recorded and managed through agreed procedures.
Data Protection
Learner information is handled for agreed educational, safeguarding and commissioning purposes.
Policies & Compliance →INTENDED OUTCOMES
Progress can be educational, personal and future-focused
Increased Engagement
Greater participation in an agreed form of education.
Improved Attendance
More consistent access to commissioned provision.
Academic Progress
Progress in English, Maths, GCSE or Functional Skills priorities.
Improved Confidence
Greater self-belief and tolerance of educational challenge.
Independence
Development of communication, organisation and life skills.
EHCP Progress
Contribution to relevant identified outcomes where commissioned.
Reintegration
Progress towards school or another appropriate education setting.
Positive Destination
Transition to education, training, college or employment.
WORKING WITH LOCAL AUTHORITY TEAMS
Built to work with different commissioning teams
SEND Teams
EOTAS Teams
Inclusion Teams
Alternative Provision Teams
Education Officers
Virtual Schools
Placement Teams
Commissioning Teams
Commissioning, suitability and statutory responsibility
Provision is subject to referral review, suitability, safeguarding, staffing, specialist availability, location and agreement of the commissioned service.
Reconnect Learning delivers the agreed provision but does not assume statutory responsibilities belonging to the local authority, school or another responsible body unless a lawful and specific arrangement provides otherwise.
LOCAL AUTHORITY FAQs
Questions commissioners often ask
What types of provision can local authorities commission?
Provision may include alternative provision, EOTAS support, home tuition, online learning, outreach, SEND and EHCP-informed education, Functional Skills, GCSE tuition, mentoring, wellbeing and reintegration.
Can provision be delivered 1:1?
Yes. Many commissioned packages can be delivered on a personalised 1:1 basis where this is suitable and agreed.
Can you support learners with an EHCP?
Yes. Relevant SEND needs, professional advice and EHCP outcomes can inform the commissioned programme where appropriate.
Can you provide EOTAS support?
Yes. Reconnect Learning can contribute personalised education within an EOTAS arrangement where the local authority has determined and commissioned the provision.
Can provision take place at home?
Yes, where home tuition is suitable, safely planned and included within the commissioned arrangement.
Do you provide progress reports?
Yes. Reporting arrangements can include attendance, engagement, academic progress, learner voice, agreed outcomes and next-step recommendations.
Can you attend professional review meetings?
Where agreed within the commissioned package, Reconnect Learning can contribute relevant information to review and multi-agency planning.
How is safeguarding managed?
Safeguarding is built into referral, planning and delivery, with designated safeguarding leadership, recording procedures and agreed escalation routes.
Can provision support reintegration?
Yes. Tuition, mentoring and structured transition support can be used to prepare a learner for school, another setting or a different positive educational destination.
Does a referral guarantee a placement?
No. Provision is confirmed only after suitability, safeguarding, risk, staffing and commissioning arrangements have been reviewed and agreed.