Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department has considered allowing (a) Social, Emotional and Mental Health provisions and (b) Pupil Referral Units to offer post-16 education within existing frameworks.

The statutory duty on local authorities to arrange alternative provision applies to children of compulsory school age. This includes a duty to arrange education for children who cannot attend school due to their mental or physical health needs.

Although the duty only applies to children of compulsory school age, alternative provision schools, including pupil referral units, can offer post-16 provision if they wish to do so. 21 of the 334 state-funded alternative provision schools currently have a registered sixth form.

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 provider types which deliver different provision, relevant to the different aspirations and needs of post-16 students. In addition, 16 to 19 study programmes should be tailored to meet the individual needs of the young person.