Question to the Department for Education:

To ask Her Majesty's Government how many alternative education schools are registered.

The department has interpreted 'alternative education school' to mean a school established to provide alternative provision to students. Alternative provision refers to education arranged by local authorities for pupils who, because of exclusion, illness, or other reasons, would not otherwise receive suitable education, education arranged by schools for pupils on a fixed period exclusion, and pupils being directed by schools to off-site provision to improve their behaviour.

Figures from the Secretary of State’s register of educational institutions show that in England there are:

• 348 state-maintained alternative provision schools, which includes Pupil Referral Units, alternative provision academies and free schools.
• 2,411 open independent schools of all types.

These figures are available to view at: https://www.get-information-schools.service.gov.uk.

As there is no requirement for registered independent schools, which primarily provide alternative provision, to be registered as such with the Secretary of State, it is not possible to identify the number of independent schools which would mean the definition of 'alternative education school'.