Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of creating a new funding stream for students who have been educated in registered alternative provision to continue in that setting after the age of 16.

The statutory duty on local authorities to provide alternative provision applies to children of compulsory school age. If any alternative provision schools would like to offer post-16 placements, they should approach the department to discuss this. Funded post-16 education has a variety of different provider types which deliver different provision, relevant to the different aspirations and needs of post-16 students. In addition, 16-19 study programmes should be tailored to meet the individual needs of the young person.