Alternative provision is education arranged for pupils who cannot currently attend mainstream school. At Lionheart School, it is for secondary pupils out of school because of mental health difficulties, SEND, an EHCP that is not being met, long-term illness or exclusion. Pupils are taught one-to-one at Blythe Hall in West Kensington, online, or through a mix of both, with a programme that keeps their curriculum and qualifications on track.
Some students join us after a school placement has broken down. Others are too anxious to attend, are waiting for a suitable setting, or need a calmer environment while their EHCP or longer-term plan is resolved.
Our alternative provision is particularly suited to:
Some students attend for a short period as a bridge back into school or college. Others stay longer while completing key qualifications and preparing for their next stage.
Under Section 19 of the Education Act 1996, local authorities must arrange suitable education for children who cannot attend school because of exclusion, illness or other reasons. Lionheart School can be commissioned as section 19 alternative provision for pupils in London, with or without an EHCP.
Placements often need to start quickly, and caseworkers need more than a timetable. Each placement comes with a risk assessment, a programme matched to the pupil’s existing curriculum, and regular written reports so everyone involved can see how it is going.
Lionheart is not a conventional school, but for many students it feels more predictable and secure than anything they have experienced before.
What We Offer
Not every student is ready to step straight into a full timetable. Some need a slower, phased approach.
Alternative provision is not always the right first step. Some families are better served by education crisis management, specialist SEND consultancy or homeschooling, and we will tell you so when you get in touch.
What to Expect
Alternative provision only succeeds when every adult around the student is working to the same plan. We work closely with families, schools, therapists and local authorities so each student gets consistent, joined-up support.
Families receive regular updates on progress, attendance, curriculum and wellbeing, with a single point of contact overseeing the programme. Written reports are shared with everyone involved in the student’s care.
We liaise with SENCOs, pastoral teams, educational psychologists, clinicians, GPs, social workers and local authority caseworkers so that teaching, therapeutic work and reintegration plans stay coherent.
If a student has an EHCP, we map daily teaching to its agreed outcomes, so support stays tied to their educational objectives and can be evidenced at review.
For students returning to school or moving to a new setting, we build gradual, structured plans that give them the best chance of lasting success. If a route stops working, we say so early and change the provision.
Yes. We consider local authority requests for funded placements for pupils with or without an EHCP. Before confirming a place, we assess the pupil’s needs and readiness to learn, and complete safeguarding checks.
A child may need alternative provision after suspension or permanent exclusion, during prolonged illness, after school refusal or EBSA, when an EHCP placement has broken down, or while waiting for a suitable school place. It is also used when mainstream attendance is not currently safe or realistic. The provision should match the child’s age, ability, needs and next step.
Most placements start one to two weeks after first enquiry. That time goes on matching tutors, completing risk assessments and paperwork, and designing the programme. Urgent cases can move faster, sometimes within days.
Students can work towards GCSEs, IGCSEs, AS and A-levels with the major exam boards, including AQA, Pearson Edexcel, OCR and Cambridge International. Pupils joining from schools abroad are welcome. Exams can be sat at our registered exam centre in London.
