For local authority commissioners
Alternative Provision Oversight for Local Authorities
Commissioning alternative provision means being confident that every young person is safe, attending and making progress. ReferralMS gives you a clear picture across schools and providers, from one shared system.
Commissioning alternative provision with confidence
Local authorities arrange education for pupils who are permanently excluded or cannot attend school, and work with schools that commission AP directly. ReferralMS brings that information together.
A shared view
See referrals and placements across the schools and providers you work with, without collecting spreadsheets.
Attendance at a glance
Spot falling attendance early and follow up with the right school or provider.
Provider information
Keep an up-to-date picture of the providers you use, what they offer and their compliance status.
Quality assurance of AP
The DfE’s statutory guidance on alternative provision expects commissioners to check that providers are safe and suitable, and to keep reviewing placements. ReferralMS helps you do that consistently.
QA visits
Plan and record quality assurance visits, findings and follow-up actions against each provider.
Safeguarding evidence
Check that staff vetting, policies and risk assessments are in place and current, in line with KCSIE.
Clear audit trail
Every action is timestamped and attributed, supporting accountability and inspection.
Reporting across providers
- Attendance, outcomes and destinations by provider
- Placement numbers and trends over time
- Compliance gaps highlighted for action
- Exports for scrutiny panels and elected members
Supporting your duties after exclusion
Under the DfE’s guidance on suspensions and permanent exclusions, the local authority must arrange suitable full-time education for a permanently excluded pupil from the sixth school day. Keeping referrals, start dates and attendance in one place makes it easier to show that this happened, and to spot any young person who is slipping through the gaps. ReferralMS supports your processes; it is not endorsed by the DfE and does not replace the guidance itself.
Frequently asked questions
Can a local authority roll ReferralMS out to its schools?
Yes. ReferralMS is multi-organisation by design, with each school and provider seeing only its own data.
How is pupil data protected?
Data is separated by organisation, access is role-based and actions are audited. See our security and data protection page for details.
Talk to us about commissioning and oversight
Book a short, no-obligation demo and we’ll show you how ReferralMS fits the way your school, provision or local authority works.