Why Choose Balance AP as Your Alternative Provision Partner?

Balance AP is an OFSTED registered Independent School, with a recent 'Good' rating (April 2025) dedicated to supporting students with SEND and SEMH needs, providing them with the structure, care, and personalised education they need to thrive. Schools choose to place their students with us because:

• Registered and Compliant – As a registered school, Balance AP offers reassurance that all statutory safeguarding, curriculum, and quality standards are met.

• Tailored Support – We specialise in working with students who may struggle in mainstream environments, offering smaller class sizes, individualised learning plans, and a nurturing approach.

• Improved Engagement – Our holistic methods help students re-engage with education, build confidence, and develop positive attitudes towards learning.

• Curriculum with Purpose – Alongside core academic subjects, we integrate life skills, vocational learning, and our Inspire Curriculum to prepare students for further education, training, or employment.

• Careers and Futures Focused – With regular input from an independent careers advisor and activities mapped to the Gatsby Benchmarks, we ensure students leave with clear action plans and aspirations for the future.

• Strong Safeguarding and Wellbeing – Our staff are highly trained in trauma-informed practice and behaviour support, prioritising emotional wellbeing as the foundation for learning.

• Partnership Approach – We work closely with schools, parents, and external agencies to ensure every student receives consistent, joined-up support.

 

Please note:

An AP provider should be registered as an OFSTED registered Independent School if it provides full-time education to five or more pupils of a compulsory school age, or one such pupil who is CIC or has an EHCP. The punishment for running an unregistered school can be a fine or imprisonment so it is important to stay within the rules. For mainstream settings using these unregistered provisions, failure to comply with the guidance above, could trigger an OFSTED Inspection.

Unfortunately, ‘full-time’ isn’t defined anywhere in terms of hours. Many AP’s use 18 hours as a guide but a place is considered to be providing full-time education if it provides ‘all, or substantially all, of a child’s education’. This also does include transport time. Attending your provision part-time shouldn’t preclude the possibility that the pupil could attend education provided elsewhere – a part-time place of 3 hours a day between 10 and 1 each day would realistically stop a pupil from attending elsewhere and so could be seen as full-time even though it is below 18 hours across the week.