The number of pupils in both state-funded and non-state-funded alternative provision (AP) has increased sharply in the past year, according to Department for Education data.
Annual census figures published today show the number of pupils registered at an AP state school increased by 20 per cent in 2024 to just under 15,900 - the highest number since the onset of the pandemic.
The data also shows the number of pupils in local authority-funded placements in non-state-funded AP has also jumped by 16.5 per cent, from 41,319 in 2022-23 to 48,133 in 2023-24.
The figures come amid warnings that the sector is at crisis point because of pressure on places and follow calls from a leading DfE adviser for the next government to commit to a major investment in the AP school estate.
AP waiting lists show full extent of pressure
The number of pupils registered solely in AP state schools is 15,833, which is the highest number in the past five years, although similar to 2019-20 when the figure was 15,396.
AP sector leaders said that the increasing number of pupils registered at AP schools in today’s figures hides the full extent of the pressure on the sector as many schools were full to capacity in the first term of the year and now have waiting lists.
The DfE data stated that there were a further 11,065 pupils with a dual subsidiary registration in state-funded AP schools, meaning a main registration at another school. This means a total of 26,900 pupils had registration at a state-funded AP school in 2023-24.
Sarah Johnson, president of the National Organisation of Pupil Referral Units and Alternative Provision, known as PRUsAP, said the numbers don’t show “how quickly AP schools are filling up and meeting their admission number”.
Ms Johnson added that some schools are “in discussions with councils about increasing their numbers and others might be coming under pressure to take on pupils beyond their admission number”.
A Tes investigation earlier this year revealed the scale of demand facing AP and pupil referral units (PRU) in the 2023-24 academic year.
A survey of PRUsAP members, commissioned by Tes, showed that more than three-fifths (62 per cent) of AP leaders said their setting was full by 6 December last year, and many are faced with unprecedented waiting lists.
Commenting on today’s figures, Steve Howell, headteacher of the City of Birmingham School PRU, said the figures concealed the large numbers of pupils waiting to be registered at an AP school.
More difficult to reintegrate pupils into mainstream
He also highlighted an issue with capacity in the sector. He added that some AP free schools he has spoken to had their pupil admission number reduced after the pandemic as demand had fallen and are “now only funded for that level but who now have [higher] demand for more places but are not funded to be able to meet them”.
Earlier this year, Mr Howell highlighted how pressure on AP places had also increased because it was becoming more difficult to reintegrate pupils back into mainstream settings.
Today’s DfE statistics also show an increase in “school arranged alternative provision”, from 24,577 placements in 2022-23 to 26,358 in the most recent academic year.
Figures show the majority of these pupils had special educational needs or disabilities (SEND), with almost one in four (23.9 per cent) having an education, health and care plan and a further 42.5 per cent in receipt of SEND support.
The DfE said that more than six in 10 (62.8 per cent) of pupils in these placements were male and just over half of pupils were eligible for free school meals.
The most common reason recorded for schools arranging AP was off-site placement for behavioural support, which applied to over half (55.3 per cent) of places.
Last week, the DfE’s behaviour adviser Tom Bennett called for a “massive reinvestment in the alternative provision estate” to provide for a “significant minority” of pupils whose needs cannot be met in mainstream schools.
Pepe Di’Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said: “Establishing high-quality, regulated alternative provision across the whole country needs to be a priority.
“These figures reflect the growing number of children and young people displaying challenging behaviour, suffering from mental health issues or having specific learning needs and finding attending mainstream school difficult.”
He called for investment in AP to meet growing demand and for adequate funding for mainstream schools to ensure they can “provide timely support to all their pupils”.
Rise in FSM pupils
The DfE figures published today also showed that around one in four pupils (24.6 per cent) are eligible for free school meals, up from 23.8 per cent last year, representing 2.1 million pupils.
Headteachers’ leaders said the figures shine a light on the numbers who are struggling but are “just the tip of the iceberg”.
Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the NAHT school leaders’ union, described the fact that the “very low” £7,400 free school meal income cap hasn’t been increased with inflation since it was introduced six years ago as “appalling”.
Mr Di’lasio said: “We know that there are hundreds of thousands of children who are living in poverty but are not currently eligible.”
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