Non School Alternative Provision:
A Fresh Take on Education
Futures-Essex Ltd is an approved Alternative Provision provider for Essex County Council and Southend-on-Sea City Council. We specialise in supporting young people with Emotionally Based School Avoidance (EBSA) and anxiety, with a team of therapeutically trained staff who bring expertise in working with neurodiverse learners.​
our method.
“learn to be”
before you can
“learn to do”
Futures-Essex is a non-school alternative provision that works in partnership with schools and local authorities to support children and young people whose needs cannot be met within a mainstream setting alone. As a non-school Alternative Provision, our primary aim is to support students through time-limited, purposeful intervention, with a clear focus on reintegration into mainstream education wherever appropriate. We work in close partnership with commissioning schools and local authorities and are guided by the principle that Alternative Provision should be an intervention, not a destination. It is essential that students receive the right support, in the right place, at the right time.
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Our provision operates in line with the Department for Education’s Voluntary Alternative Provision Framework, which emphasises quality, collaboration, safeguarding, and clearly defined roles and responsibilities. We do not operate as a school, nor do we provide full-time education. All placements are commissioned as part of a wider educational package, with the commissioning body retaining responsibility for the student’s overall educational outcomes.​
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Our commissioned offer may include mentoring, therapeutic or wellbeing-focused support, skills-based or enrichment activities, and re-engagement or reintegration work. We do not deliver a full curriculum, timetable, or programme of study equivalent to that of a registered school.
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Where pupils are placed under Alternative Provision or Education Otherwise Than At School (EOTAS) arrangements, we expect these to be formally agreed, clearly documented, and regularly reviewed by the commissioning body. Responsibility for ensuring that education is suitable, lawful, and appropriately structured remains with the school or local authority.
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Our role is to complement, not replace, the statutory responsibilities of schools and local authorities. We work collaboratively to support regulation, engagement, and readiness for learning, while maintaining clear boundaries around our non-school status and part-time offer, and we reserve the right to review or decline placements where arrangements may place the provision at risk of non-compliance. Our ultimate aim is to support students to successfully reintegrate into mainstream education, further education, employment, or training, equipped with the emotional resilience, life skills, and confidence needed to move forward positively.
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Here’s why we ARE the perfect fit for you:
Personalized Learning
Unlike mainstream schools, Futures-Essex can customize teaching methods and curriculum to meet each student’s unique needs.
Smaller Classes
With smaller class sizes, we provide more individualized attention and support.
Innovative Teaching
We use engaging and creative methods like hands-on learning, project-based education, and unique tools that might not be available in traditional settings.
Inclusive Environment
We welcome students from all backgrounds and needs. Our supportive environment is better suited to address issues like behavioural difficulties, neurodiversity, or other personal challenges.
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Fostering Independence
We encourage learners to take ownership of their education, helping them build essential life skills like self-discipline, time management, and independent problem-solving.
Strong Community
We aim to create a close-knit community among students and staff. This supportive network can be particularly empowering for students who have struggled in larger, more impersonal school settings.
Learning Options
1
Tier 1
Targeted
Targeted support which happens in the students school or home. AP staff support school staff imbed support plans to reduce the escalation of need for an offsite placement
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tier 2
Short Term
Short term placement within our alternative provision studio in Bicknacre. Assess young persons needs / risks and implement a plan with all stakeholders
3
tier 3 Transitional
Transitional placement for those young people who need to gain qualifications and reintegrate into a new school, further education or employment / training
Referrals
Futures-Essex warmly welcomes referrals from schools and local authorities across Essex and Southend.
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As a non-school Alternative Provision (AP), we work in close partnership with commissioners to ensure young people receive the support they need to thrive. Commissioning schools and local authorities retain statutory responsibilities for admissions, attendance registers/coding, exclusions, and Children Missing Education (CME).
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Futures-Essex provides same-day safeguarding and attendance updates to commissioners and aligns all practice with Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) and local safeguarding partnership arrangements.
Recognising that statutory school-specific powers (such as searching and screening) do not apply in AP settings, we adopt consent-based approaches and, where risks require, work collaboratively with the police to ensure safety and wellbeing.
“As a family, we cannot thank Futures enough. Before, we were watching our daughter disappear into a very dark place, and I felt no one was listening. From the moment we walked into Futures, everything changed — it was exactly what she needed. For the first time since playschool, she is excited to go, upset if she can’t, and her passion for learning has returned. The support and guidance we’ve received has been priceless, and we are so grateful for the safe, nurturing space Futures provides.”
Parents of I