For Parents
The main parent information hub covering personalised education and support options.
For Parents →FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS FOR PARENTS & CARERS
Clear Answers When You Are Trying to Understand Your Child's Education Options
When your child is struggling with school, SEND, attendance, anxiety or disrupted education, there can be a lot of unfamiliar language and even more questions.
This page brings together straightforward answers about Reconnect Learning, home tuition, online learning, alternative provision, EBSNA, SEND, EHCPs, qualifications, funding and safeguarding.
THIS PAGE COVERS
The questions families ask us most often
What Reconnect Learning provides
How referrals and funding may work
Home and online tuition
SEND, EHCPs and EBSNA
GCSEs, Functional Skills and exams
Safeguarding and professional standards
Answers
Clear
Information
Practical
Language
Parent-Friendly
Approach
Honest
Safety
Safeguarding-Led
START WITH THE QUESTION YOU HAVE NOW
You do not need to understand every part of the education system at once
Parents often find themselves trying to understand several things at the same time: attendance, SEND, school anxiety, funding, EHCPs, qualifications and what alternative provision actually means.
These FAQs are designed to help you separate those issues and understand what Reconnect Learning can provide, what may need approval from another organisation and where another professional service may be responsible.
OUR APPROACH TO INFORMATION
If something sits outside our role, we would rather explain that clearly than leave a family believing we can make a decision that belongs to a school, local authority, exam centre or specialist service.
POPULAR PARENT & CARER PAGES
Explore the areas most relevant to your child
Parent Information
Understand how personalised provision may work and how different support routes are arranged.
Parent Information →SEND Support
Guidance for families of children with SEND, additional needs or an EHCP.
SEND Support →Home Learning Support
Information for families whose child needs education outside the usual school environment.
Home Learning →EBSNA Support
Understand emotionally based school non-attendance and school-related anxiety.
EBSNA Support →Our Programmes
Explore tuition, alternative provision, qualifications, mentoring and wellbeing.
Our Programmes →ABOUT RECONNECT LEARNING
General questions
What is Reconnect Learning?
Reconnect Learning is an education and alternative provision provider offering personalised learning and support for children and young people who may need a different route into education.
Is Reconnect Learning a school?
No. Reconnect Learning provides education, tuition and alternative provision services rather than operating as a mainstream school.
Who may be suitable for support?
Support may be relevant for children experiencing SEND, school anxiety, EBSNA, persistent absence, exclusion, placement difficulty, disrupted education or loss of confidence in learning.
What ages do you support?
Suitability depends on the particular programme, learner needs and available provision. Age and current education circumstances are considered when a potential package is reviewed.
Do you work with schools?
Yes. Reconnect Learning can provide services commissioned by schools where suitable arrangements have been agreed.
Do you work with local authorities?
Yes. Reconnect Learning can provide commissioned education and support for local-authority teams where appropriate.
Can support be short term?
Yes. Some packages may be focused interventions or interim support while another education plan is being developed.
Can support be longer term?
Potentially. This depends on learner need, suitability, review, funding and the wider education plan.
REFERRALS, FUNDING & GETTING STARTED
How support may be arranged
Can parents contact Reconnect Learning directly?
Yes. Parents and carers can contact Reconnect Learning to ask questions, explain their child's current circumstances and understand what services may be available.
Can I make a referral myself?
Parents can make contact and provide information. However, some funded provision must be formally referred, approved or commissioned by a school, local authority or another responsible organisation.
Can I pay privately?
Private arrangements may be possible for some services, subject to suitability, safeguarding, risk, staffing and current availability.
Who usually pays for provision?
This depends on the child's individual circumstances. Provision may be arranged through a school, local authority, another commissioning body or, where available, privately.
Does contacting Reconnect Learning guarantee a place?
No. Contact does not automatically confirm acceptance, funding, a tutor, availability or a start date.
How quickly can support begin?
Timescales depend on suitability, information available, safeguarding, risk assessment, funding or commissioning arrangements and staff availability.
What information may be needed before support begins?
Relevant education, SEND, safeguarding, risk, attendance, medical and professional information may be needed to determine whether provision can be delivered appropriately.
What normally needs to be agreed before a package starts?
This may include the purpose of provision, hours, timetable, delivery location, safeguarding arrangements, outcomes, professional contacts and reporting expectations.
IF YOU ARE NOT SURE WHERE TO START
Useful information to gather
You do not need to create a formal case file yourself, but having some current information can make conversations easier.
Your child's current school or education situation
Attendance information
SEND or EHCP documents if relevant
Current concerns and what has changed
Support or adjustments already tried
Your child's views
Professionals currently involved
QUESTIONS YOU MAY WISH TO ASK
Understanding the wider education plan
What support has already been tried?
What education should continue during absence?
Who is responsible for arranging the next step?
Could personalised tuition be considered?
How will SEND needs be supported?
What is the longer-term education plan?
Who can approve or fund additional provision?
HOME & ONLINE LEARNING
Questions about learning away from school
Do you provide home tuition?
Yes. Home tuition may be available where it is suitable, formally agreed and supported by appropriate safeguarding and risk arrangements.
Does an adult need to be at home during tuition?
This depends on the child's age, individual needs, risk assessment and the arrangements agreed before delivery begins.
Do you provide online learning?
Yes. Live online tuition may be suitable where remote learning is a safe and manageable way for the child to access education.
Can home and online learning be combined?
Potentially. A blended approach may be used where this is appropriate to the learner's needs and agreed provision.
Can home tuition support school anxiety or EBSNA?
Yes. For some learners, learning at home can provide a lower-pressure starting point while engagement and confidence are rebuilt.
Can home learning help my child return to school?
Potentially. Where appropriate, tuition may contribute to a phased reintegration or transition plan.
What happens if my child does not engage with tuition?
The barriers, tutor match, pace, expectations and delivery approach can be reviewed. Provision may need to be adjusted, paused or reconsidered.
Is home tuition the same as elective home education?
No. Commissioned or privately arranged tuition from Reconnect Learning is an education service and does not, by itself, determine the child's formal education status.
SEND, EHCPs & EBSNA
Questions about additional needs and attendance
What is SEND?
SEND means special educational needs and disabilities. A child may need additional or different support to access education because of learning, communication, physical, sensory, social or emotional needs.
Does my child need an EHCP to receive SEND support?
Not necessarily. Different support routes have different requirements, and not every learner accessing personalised education has an EHCP.
Can Reconnect Learning support a child with an EHCP?
Yes. Relevant needs, outcomes and professional advice can help inform educational provision where suitable support has been agreed.
Can you write or amend my child's EHCP?
No. Formal statutory responsibility for EHCP assessment, issue, amendment, maintenance and review sits with the responsible local authority.
Can Reconnect Learning contribute to an annual review?
Potentially. Where appropriate and agreed, Reconnect Learning can provide information about the education and support it has delivered.
What is EBSNA?
EBSNA is commonly used to describe emotionally based school non-attendance, where anxiety or emotional distress creates significant barriers to attending school.
Can SEND and EBSNA happen together?
Yes. School-related anxiety may overlap with autism, ADHD, communication difficulties, sensory needs or other SEND.
Can Reconnect Learning diagnose autism, ADHD or SEND?
No. Reconnect Learning is an education provider and does not provide medical or diagnostic assessment.
ALTERNATIVE PROVISION & REINTEGRATION
Questions about different education pathways
What is alternative provision?
Alternative provision is education provided outside all or part of a learner's usual mainstream timetable where another approach is needed.
Does alternative provision mean my child can never return to school?
No. For some learners it is temporary and supports reintegration. For others, a different pathway may be appropriate for longer.
Can alternative provision support SEND?
Yes. Teaching and delivery can be adapted around individual learning, communication, sensory and regulation needs.
Can Reconnect Learning support reintegration?
Yes. Personalised tuition, mentoring and programmes such as Reconnect 12™ may support a gradual return or transition where appropriate.
Can my child receive education while waiting for another school place?
Potentially. Interim tuition or alternative provision may help maintain education while a wider placement or education plan is being arranged.
Does Reconnect Learning decide which school my child should attend?
No. Formal placement decisions sit with the relevant school, local authority or other responsible body.
GCSEs, FUNCTIONAL SKILLS & EXAMS
Questions about qualifications
Do you provide GCSE support?
Yes. GCSE tuition may be available where the learner's subject, exam board, current level and pathway are suitable.
Do you provide Functional Skills?
Yes. Functional Skills English and Maths may provide an appropriate recognised pathway for some learners.
Does Reconnect Learning enter learners for exams?
Not automatically. Exam entry, approved-centre services, invigilation and certification must be confirmed separately.
Who decides exam access arrangements?
Formal access arrangements are determined through the responsible examination centre using the relevant evidence and awarding-body requirements.
Can my child study GCSEs from home?
Potentially. GCSE tuition can take place at home or online where this is an appropriate learning route.
Can my child move from GCSEs to Functional Skills?
Potentially. The right qualification route depends on the learner's current level, intended progression and wider education plan.
Can you guarantee a GCSE or Functional Skills result?
No. Reconnect Learning can support teaching, progress and readiness, but examination outcomes cannot be guaranteed.
Can qualifications support college or training progression?
Yes. Appropriate English, Maths and subject qualifications can form an important part of preparation for post-16 education, training and employment.
WHAT FAMILIES CAN EXPECT
Clear, respectful and professional support
Honest Communication
Clear information about what Reconnect Learning can provide and what sits outside our role.
Personalised Planning
Provision shaped around the learner's needs, starting point and agreed outcomes.
Safe Delivery
Safeguarding, risk, location and professional boundaries are considered before delivery.
Learner Voice
Your child's experience can help us understand what is working and what may need to change.
Progress Updates
Communication and reporting follow the arrangements agreed for the provision.
Review & Next Steps
Progress can be reviewed to consider continuation, transition or reintegration.
SAFEGUARDING & PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS
Questions about safety and concerns
Safeguarding
Reconnect Learning has designated safeguarding leadership and clear reporting routes.
Safeguarding →Safer Recruitment
Staff are subject to appropriate checks, references, identity verification and induction.
Policies & Compliance →Home & Online Safety
Relevant risk assessment, professional boundaries and communication arrangements support safe delivery.
Reporting a Concern
Safeguarding concerns linked to Reconnect Learning should be raised promptly through our safeguarding route.
Safeguarding Information →Complaints
Families can raise service concerns or complaints through the published Reconnect Learning process.
Policies & Compliance →Emergency Situations
Reconnect Learning's website information is not a replacement for emergency safeguarding or medical services.
Important information about roles and responsibilities
Reconnect Learning is an education and alternative provision provider. We do not make statutory decisions about EHCPs, EOTAS, school placements, exclusions, attendance enforcement or entitlement to local-authority-funded provision.
We also do not diagnose medical, developmental or mental-health conditions and do not replace clinical, emergency or social-care services.
Exam entry, formal access arrangements and approved-centre services are not automatically included in tuition and must be confirmed separately where relevant.
Contacting Reconnect Learning does not automatically confirm that provision is available, approved, funded or accepted. Any package must be suitable, safely planned and formally agreed before it begins.