Lancashire Alternative Provision

Overview

Lancashire Alternative Provision is an independent school where leaders and staff provide a "safe and welcoming place" for pupils who have experienced "disrupted education in the past." The report confirms that the school meets the expected standard across all evaluation areas, with safeguarding standards fully met. Pupils make significant progress from low starting points, developing confidence and independence as they prepare for adulthood.

Strengths

• Pupils "catch up on acquiring important knowledge" and are "well prepared for adulthood and greater independence" by the end of Year 11.
• Attendance improves over time due to "effective support and encouragement," with staff providing a "warm welcome" and helping pupils see every day as a "new beginning."
• Behaviour has improved considerably, with incidents of inappropriate behaviour reducing due to "improved whole-school procedures" and staff using "calm and consistent approaches."
• The curriculum is "broad and ambitious," with leaders carefully selecting activities that "capture pupils’ interest" and reinforcing knowledge through links between subjects.
• Personal development is central to the curriculum, helping pupils rebuild confidence, manage emotions, and understand "British values" while avoiding dangerous behaviour.

Areas to improve

• Leaders should ensure pupils improve the "fluency of their written work and accuracy in mathematics recording" so they can explain their learning more clearly.
• Teachers must better "identify and address gaps in pupils’ knowledge" to ensure pupils are prepared for their next stage of learning, rather than assuming struggles are solely due to special educational needs.
• The proprietor should ensure all leaders are clear about their role in "meeting and maintaining the independent school standards," as workload is not currently evenly spread.

Safeguarding

The report states that "safeguarding standards are met," noting that leaders have established an "open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility" and that pupils are "made safer and feel safe."