Commissioner responsibilities
Once a placement has been agreed, the school maintains responsibility for:
- pupil welfare: safeguarding, child protection and ensuring parents and pupil are aware of the arrangements
- attendance monitoring and follow-up of absences using a secure on-line attendance and absence reporting system
- meeting the needs identified within a child’s EHC plan
- transport is provided when accessing alternative provision arranged by Lincolnshire. Where schools do not wish to commission Lincolnshire’s arranged alternative provision and make their own arrangements the school is responsible for transport arrangements and costs
- where a pupil is eligible for free school meals, this will need communicating to the provider and suitable arrangements made
- sanctioning a fixed term or permanent exclusion; pupils are legally on the roll of a school. Therefore, if a pupil has breached a provider’s code of conduct or poses a health and safety risk to others, the provider may use their internal procedures to suspend the pupil from attendance at their provision. Providers should always discuss the use of such a sanction with the pupil’s school and agree arrangements during the period of suspension before any action takes place. The provider should notify the school if the placement cannot continue detailing reasons
- pupil outcomes – school’s commissioning alternative provision must ensure it meets the child’s educational and personal needs
- maintaining primary contact with parents, unless it has been agreed with the provider that this is delegated
- ensuring the child remains a member of the school community, such as involvement with extra-curricular activities, social events, parents’ evenings, letters to parents or child, and rewards
- careers guidance, schools to ensure pupils receive their full entitlement to careers information, advice and guidance
- post 16 destinations and planning, to prevent young people becoming not in education, employment or training (NEET)
- frequently reviewing pupils’ placements so that they have a better understanding of how well pupils are doing and whether or not the placement continues to meet pupils’ evolving needs