Purpose

See attached ODR for details

Decision

To agree a further 5 years block purchase with St Wilfrid’s Academy to discharge our statutory duties under section 19 of the Education Act in relation to permanent exclusion. To offer high level assessment which supports reintegration into mainstream setting as well as assessment as an early intervention to prevent permanent exclusion. This block purchase will include extensions where appropriate to support individual needs and will deliver multi agency specialist
support to improve outcomes for young people and families. This is proven model that has been recognised as good practice by the DfE.

Alternative options considered

Consideration of sourcing an alternative provider identifies limitations in the September 2026 delivery timeline, provider capacity, infrastructure, and specialist expertise required to deliver provision across Key Stages 2–4 at scale. Many do not offer a fully integrated model that combines preventative intervention, assessment, reintegration pathways, and statutory Day 6 provision within a single setting, nor the flexibility to accommodate cross-key stage placements. In addition, alternative providers may lack established partnership arrangements with the Local Authority and Inclusion Panel, reducing their ability to deliver a coordinated and responsive
service. These constraints, alongside reduced staffing capacity and safeguarding infrastructure, increase the risk of delays in placement and an inability to meet required timeframes. Furthermore, fragmented delivery models and the need to commission across multiple providers are likely to result in significantly higher costs and reduced overall efficiency.