Heads of alternative provision: committed to realising young peoples' potential in an unregulated marketAlternative provision caters for pupils who are marginalised and excluded from mainstream schooling. In England it is generally conceptualised in policy terms as providing education to support behavioural improvements (pupils are directed off site to improve behaviour). There is very limited research on the experiences of those who work in alternative provision settings. That which does exist tends to report the commitment of these professionals to the young people with whom they work. Young people who attend these schools almost without fail talk about the relationships they experience there and the positive impact they have on them. As such there is a need to better understand the choices and motivations of those working with these young people if we are to understand the key relationships that make alternative provision work. This article fills a gap by focusing on the experiences of those managing AP settings across a geographical area and was undertaken as part of the author's professional doctorate. The findings are based on three interviews and 20 surveys and develop significantly our understanding of the motivations of those working in and managing alternative provision settings. Interesting divergences in practice are highlighted across settings and evidence is presented which shows that managers both see and work to realise the potential of the young people who attend alternative provision. Indeed, these findings suggest staff commitment should be conceptualised as belief in the potential of the young people who attend alternative provision.

young people who attend Alternative Provision settings report positive relationships and experiences of learning. There is however very little research which explores the longer term outcomes of attending this sort of provision. Retrospective life history interviews were undertaken with 18 young adults in their early to mid-20s who had attended Alternative Provision in England. Interviews focused on schooling, exclusion, attending Alternative Provision and the impact of this on what they had done since leaving school up to their present situation. Analysis showed that the experience of attending Alternative Provision frequently constituted a turning point in a young person's life story. This was due to the qualitatively different kind of social space experienced there.

This article makes the case for clearer reporting of alternative provision. The main body of this paper consists of an analysis of available data on permanent exclusions and attendance at alternative provision. Findings show a greater number of young people attending alternative provision compared to those permanently excluded and concerning patterns of over representation among children in care and those with a special educational need or disability. This raises issues of children's rights, particularly equality of educational experience and of fair access to the schooling system. It is argued that annual reporting on exclusions should be developed to include a section of in depth reporting on alternative provision.

No abstract