Alternative Provision
Alternative Provision that starts with the young person
We work in partnership with Local Authorities, schools and families to build personalised programmes for young people aged 5 to 18. Academic learning, specialist mentoring, wellbeing support and practical experience, held together in one placement.
What we do
Not simply an alternative to mainstream education
YoungEducation has worked with young people since 2010. Some of the young people who join us have been out of education for a long time. Some found that mainstream school stopped working for them. Some are managing anxiety, or SEND, or a confidence that has been affected by previous experiences in education.
What they share is that a standard timetable was never going to be the answer, so we build a different one. Every programme is tailored to the individual needs, interests and aspirations of the young person, and every programme is underpinned by literacy, numeracy, communication, emotional wellbeing and preparation for what comes next.
At a glance
- Ages 5 to 18, across Primary, Secondary and Post-16 provision
- Referrals from Local Authorities, schools, Multi-Academy Trusts, Virtual Schools and families where appropriate
- Qualified teachers, specialist mentors, safeguarding professionals and industry experts
- Continuous professional development to ensure the highest level and quality of teaching and support
- Carefully selected staff with enhanced DBS Certification
- A five step referral journey, built for placements that need to move quickly
- Freephone 0800 888 6221
Free download
Read the Alternative Provision brochure
We will only use these details to answer your enquiry. Prefer to talk it through first? Call us free on 0800 888 6221.
One placement, four strands
What a YoungEducation placement combines
The difference is not any single strand. It is that all four sit inside the same timetable, delivered by people who talk to each other about the same young person.
Academic learning
English and Mathematics sit at the core of every programme, taught in small groups or one to one, at a pace a young person can genuinely work at.
Specialist mentoring
Consistent, trusted adults who know the young person well. Mentoring is usually where re-engagement starts, long before results are chased.
Wellbeing support
Emotional regulation, resilience and confidence are treated as part of the programme, not as something to be sorted out before learning can begin.
Practical pathways
Hands-on learning that gives a young person something they are good at, and a reason to want to come back tomorrow.
Supporting Every Stage of the Journey
A personalised learning journey for every stage of education
The shape of a programme changes a great deal between a nine year old and a seventeen year old. The principle behind it does not.
- Primary, ages 5 to 11. Calm, nurturing and structured, with achievable success built into the day and progression at the child's own pace.
- Secondary, ages 11 to 16. Small teaching groups and personalised programmes alongside mentoring, wellbeing support and practical experience.
- Post-16, ages 16 to 18. Functional Skills, careers planning, employability and independent living skills, with mentoring throughout the transition.
Learning Beyond the Classroom
Pathways that give a young person something to be good at
Practical success has a habit of spilling over. Confidence built in a barbering chair or a recording booth tends to show up in the English lesson the following morning.
Flagship Academies
Barbering, DJing and music production, and cooking and food technology. Taught alongside industry professionals, with the cooking academy led by a qualified Food Technology teacher. Young people can take the meals they cook home to share with their families.
Sport, Outdoor Learning and Wellbeing
Boxing and kickboxing, gym and fitness, football, tennis and padel, team games, therapeutic equine sessions, and bushcraft including shelter building, navigation and outdoor cooking.
Creative Learning
Piano, acoustic and electric guitar and drums, arts and crafts, knitting and crocheting, design projects, and woodwork that opens routes into carpentry, joinery and other skilled trades.
Pathways are built into the personalised programme rather than bolted on to the end of it.
A Simple Referral Journey
Five steps from the first call to the first day
- Initial enquiry and consultation with the school, Local Authority or family
- Review of educational history, EHCPs and professional reports where appropriate
- Assessment and planning meeting to understand strengths, interests and support needs
- Personalised programme design covering education, mentoring and enrichment
- Placement begins, supported by regular reviews and ongoing communication
Visits are warmly welcomed. Seeing the environment and meeting the team is often the fastest way to work out whether this is the right place for a particular young person.
Where to go next
Three ways into the same provision
The same placement looks different depending on who is asking about it. Each of these pages answers the questions that audience actually has.
For Schools and Local Authorities
How placements are commissioned, what reporting looks like, and how quickly a placement can be arranged when a young person needs one now.
For Parents and Carers
What a placement actually looks like week to week, how we keep you informed, and how to start a conversation about your child.
Working Together to Create Brighter Futures
What the people around a placement say
Local Authority Professional
The mentoring and practical pathways have transformed this young person's engagement. They have developed confidence, improved attendance and are now looking positively towards their future.
Parent
For the first time in years, my child actually looks forward to learning. The team took the time to understand them, and the difference in their confidence has been incredible.
Hear from our team
Facebook reviews
Google reviews
A visual view of our service
The figures below come from the families, schools and local authorities we worked with over the last academic year — a snapshot of what Alternative Provision with YoungEducation actually delivers.
- Improved engagement with learning94%
- Progress in English and Maths95%
- Improved confidence and wellbeing90%
%
Satisfied with their provision
%
Would recommend us to others
%
Rate our tutors highly
%
Say we offer good value
* Based on feedback gathered from parents, schools and commissioning teams across the 2025/26 academic year. Percentages are rounded to the nearest whole number.
Every successful placement begins with a conversation
Tell us about the young person and we will tell you honestly whether this is the right place for them. Referrals are accepted from Local Authorities, schools, Multi-Academy Trusts, Virtual Schools, and from families where appropriate.