At a Glance
- Tasks: Audit and enhance an innovative Alternative Provision model for young learners.
- Company: Join POFAS, a forward-thinking vocational education provider in Slough.
- Benefits: Competitive project fee with flexible working arrangements.
- Other info: Opportunity to shape a unique educational programme with significant impact.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in education for young people aged 14-16.
- Qualifications: Experience in Alternative Provision leadership or consultancy is essential.
Location: Slough, Berkshire / Remote
Project start: September-October 2026
Project fee: Fixed fee
Duration: Deliverable-based; no fixed number of weeks
Purpose: To take POFAS from an extensively developed draft provision model to a functional, operational and commissioner-ready Alternative Provision.
About POFAS
POFAS is a developing vocational Alternative Provision in Slough, designed primarily for young people aged 14-16 who may benefit from a small-group, practical approach to education. Our proposed programme combines hair and beauty education with regulated qualification opportunities, customer service, employability, personal development and progression support.
We have already developed a substantial Master Provision Pack and supporting framework covering curriculum, safeguarding, SEND, admissions, assessment and progress monitoring, staffing, quality assurance, attendance, behaviour, commissioner reporting, placement packages and pricing. This is not a blank-page setup project.
The Assignment
We are seeking an experienced Alternative Provision professional to critically audit, challenge, correct, complete and operationalise the work already developed. The successful consultant must be able to identify what is missing, what requires amendment and what must be in place before POFAS accepts commissioned learners.
The project is complete when the agreed deliverables have been supplied to the required standard and the final readiness review has been completed. We are not purchasing a predetermined number of consultancy hours or weeks; an experienced consultant may complete the work as quickly as is reasonably possible.
Key Responsibilities
- Conduct a full professional audit of the existing POFAS provision model, Master Provision Pack and supporting policies.
- Identify educational, operational, safeguarding, SEND, quality-assurance and commissioning gaps.
- Review and amend the provision against current requirements and good practice relevant to non-school Alternative Provision.
- Strengthen and finalise the Master Provision Pack.
- Ensure the curriculum is coherent, sequenced, deliverable and appropriate for the intended learner profile.
- Review proposed qualification pathways, awarding-body requirements, assessment arrangements and curriculum mapping.
- Finalise referral, admissions, learner suitability and placement-review processes.
- Finalise baseline assessment, Individual Learning & Progress Plans, progress monitoring and review systems.
- Review SEND, reasonable-adjustment and enhanced-support arrangements.
- Review safeguarding implementation and ensure the written policies translate into practical day-to-day systems.
- Finalise attendance, behaviour and re-engagement processes.
- Establish practical commissioner reporting and learner outcome systems.
- Review staffing, DSL coverage, safer recruitment, staff training and compliance requirements.
- Finalise quality-assurance, IQA, self-evaluation and continuous-improvement arrangements.
- Create or refine the operational forms, trackers, registers and templates required to run the provision.
- Complete a policy and compliance register showing ownership, status and review dates.
- Review the commissioner-facing placement offer and ensure the educational specification supports the proposed commercial model.
- Produce or finalise a professional commissioner-facing information/referral pack.
- Complete a final pre-opening readiness audit and written outstanding-actions report.
Required Operational Deliverables
- Final audited Master Provision Pack.
- Compliance and gap analysis.
- Operational curriculum and timetable framework.
- Qualification and assessment mapping.
- School referral form and referral process.
- Learner suitability assessment and admissions documentation.
- Baseline assessment and Individual Learning & Progress Plan templates.
- SEND and reasonable-adjustment documentation.
- Attendance, behaviour, incident and re-engagement records.
- Safeguarding implementation/checking tools required for day-to-day operation.
- Six-week review and termly commissioner reporting templates.
- Qualification and learner-progress tracking tools.
- Staff compliance and training matrix.
- Quality Improvement Plan and quality-assurance tools.
- Policy and compliance register.
- Commissioner-facing prospectus/information pack.
- Final readiness checklist and written handover report.
Person Specification
We are particularly interested in applicants with senior or specialist experience in one or more of the following:
- Alternative Provision leadership or management.
- Alternative Provision setup or consultancy.
- Education inclusion.
- SEND leadership or commissioning.
- School or local-authority AP commissioning.
- Vocational education for 14-16-year-olds.
- Education quality assurance or compliance.
Highly desirable experience includes:
- Setting up, managing, commissioning or auditing an Alternative Provision.
- Preparing an AP provider for school, academy-trust or local-authority due diligence.
- DSL or advanced safeguarding experience.
- SEND leadership or SENCO experience.
- Regulated vocational qualifications, assessment and IQA.
- Hair and beauty vocational education or VTCT/other relevant awarding-body experience.
- Experience of commissioner reporting and learner outcome measurement.
Commercial Terms
The fixed project fee is £1,500 (Negotiable for the right candidate). Payment will be linked to agreed milestones and satisfactory delivery of the project outputs. The final milestone will be payable following completion of the agreed operational documents, readiness review and handover.
School contract acquisition is not part of this assignment. POFAS intends to appoint a separate School Partnerships & Commissioning Consultant to take the commissioner-ready provision to market and secure funded placements ahead of opening.
How to Apply
- Current CV - Two relevant references.
- Brief summary of relevant Alternative Provision experience.
- Examples of comparable AP setup, leadership, commissioning or readiness projects.
- Proposed approach to completing the assignment.
- Indicative completion timescale.
Alternative Provision Setup Consultant in Newbury employer: Jds Recruitment
At JDS Recruitment, we pride ourselves on being an excellent employer that champions creativity and compassion in education. Our supportive Alternative Provision in Barking and Dagenham offers a collaborative work culture, smaller class sizes for meaningful student engagement, and ample opportunities for professional growth. Join us to make a significant impact on the lives of young learners while enjoying a fulfilling and rewarding career.
