Reintegration
The success to any alternative provision, is fully realised when the child has successfully reintegrated back into their mainstream school or moved successfully to a new, long-term school or placement.
For reintegration to be successful, schools and services commissioning alternative provision should be clear on their expectations for the length of time an alternative provision is intended to last and include the reintegration plan within any planning from the start.
Every placement in an unregistered alternative provision should be short term in meeting the child's immediate needs, with clear plans at the start of the placement for the longer-term provision.
It is equally important for short term placements within registered alternative providers, that the school is clear in their planning and messages with parents, child, and wider school staff, that the placement is short term and begins planning their return from the start of the placement. Ensuring the child understands that they remain a pupil of the home school and keeps in regular weekly contact with the home school is vital for maintaining trust and relationships.
Be clear in expectations for the child's return but be realistic in their targets. Usually, children who have needed time away from mainstream have additional social, emotional, and mental health needs, may have suffered trauma and are more likely to require additional support in building relationships and trust with adults and peers. It is therefore unrealistic and unfair to expect that the child can return and succeed without a clear plan of support and for all staff to support their return by making reasonable adjustments.
Schools are reminded that the Exclusions Team is available to support children reintegrating back into their mainstream placements and transitions to new schools where a fresh start is required. To make contact with the team email: exclusionsupport@hillingdon.gov.uk .
For some young people in Key Stage 4, full time placements in registered alternative provisions are designed to continue through to the end of year 11. This does not mean that schools do not need to continue monitoring the outcomes and impact of placements, and meeting with young people to ensure that they are continuing to progress within their placements. Schools still have a role for reintegration in the young person's transition to post 16 options.
It is expected that schools will work with the young person and the provision to plan and move on into suitable education, or employment alongside part-time study or training, identifying their planned September destination. For these young people, it remains important that their plan also identifies what support they need and from whom to increase their success and schools may wish to involve services such as Hillingdon's Post 16 team who can be contacted on: post16EET@hillingdon.gov.uk.
