Alternative Provision Lead - Learning Access Service in Leeds

As a manager in the Learning Access Service and as the Alternative Provision Lead, you will thrive on:

• Turning insight into impact: using data and performance indicators to shape commissioning, quality assurance and sufficiency across AIPs, tuition and independent providers.
• System leadership: convening partners across schools, health and wider services to deliver a coherent AP pathway that improves outcomes.
• Purposeful collaboration: working restoratively with services to ensure compliance, reduce exclusions, and return children to suitable education quickly.

You will be part of the Learning Access management team, working alongside the EHE and Attendance Leads to coordinate best practice across EHE, exclusions, school attendance, CME and alternative provision—always with safeguarding and the child's best interests at the centre. It’s not about working in isolation; it’s about leading a city-wide, evidence-informed approach to alternative provision—coordinating delivery of our AP strategy, strengthening oversight of alternative provision, and sustaining the partnerships that help children make progress.

The main purpose of the Alternative Provision Lead is to deliver on our Alternative Provision strategy, leading on the Council's statutory responsibilities in relation to Alternative Provision, including the Section 19 duties of the Education Act 1996, and the requirement to maintain oversight of the wide-ranging alternative provision offer in the city (independent schools, free schools, unregistered provision, AIPs and tuition) and the children who access them. You will support a climate of shared accountabilities, learning and continuous improvement.

Responsibilities include:

• Facilitating and developing relationships with a range of services and agencies working with children who may need the support of an Alternative Provision setting during their time in compulsory education.
• Improving the quality of practice in relation to all aspects of alternative provision, including the commissioning, quality assurance, sufficiency, partnership planning and resource deployment to improve educational outcomes for children.
• Developing an appropriate range of data and performance indicators to undertake and support the writing of reports and the completion of statutory data returns to the Department of Education relating to alternative provision and its use throughout the city.
• Engaging restoratively with services and agencies to ensure compliance with statutory and other functions and processes, particularly in relation to alternative provision and exclusions, reducing the impact of non-compliance on outcomes for learners.
• Programme managing the Leeds Alternative Provision Strategy implementation and workstreams, working in partnership with the Area Inclusion Partnership Chairs and Lead Officers to ensure there are robust and meaningful relationships that have a positive outcome on children and their learning.
• Acting as the commissioning lead for the Area Inclusion Partnership service level agreements, including oversight and monitoring of the contractual reporting arrangements and outcomes against the delegated DSG funding.
• Assisting the Head of Service Learning Access in planning, organising, managing and developing the provision of high quality, effective and consistent services, providing operational leadership and management that adds value and supports the delivery of the Council's strategic objectives.
• Working closely with other lead officers in the Learning Access service to deliver the best joined up service for children and young people.
• Ensuring the regular completion of integrated case audits and reporting of progress for the Learning Access Service, developing a robust reporting framework for multiple audiences.
• Using skills and knowledge to effectively challenge and support other professionals and organisations to ensure children are able to achieve the best outcomes.
• Supporting and contributing to the Learning Access progress plan alongside the Attendance/CME and EHE Leads and providing direct line management as directed by the Head of Service for Learning Access, providing regular supervision and casework management.
• Deputising and representing the Head of Service Learning Access as and when required.
• Supporting the induction of any new staff to the Learning Access Service as appropriate.
• Participating in appraisal, training and development activities as necessary to ensure up to date knowledge and skills.
• Improving own practice through observation, evaluation, discussion with colleagues and CPD programmes.
• Contributing to the overall ethos, work, and aims of the service by attending relevant meetings, training days/events as requested.
• Being aware of and complying with Leeds City Council policies and procedures e.g. child protection, health, safety and security, confidentiality and data protection, reporting all concerns to an appropriate person.
• Recognising and appropriately challenging any incidents of racism, bullying, harassment or victimisation and any form of abuse of equal opportunities, ensuring compliance with relevant policies and procedures.

The qualifications and requirements for this role include:

• Diploma/degree/professional qualification and relevant substantial experience in an education environment.
• Strong leadership skills in the context of managing change and leading projects.
• Able to demonstrate impartiality and neutrality.
• Able to exercise discretion and confidentiality and have an empathetic approach to others at times of stress.
• Ability to review current processes and delivery models, identify areas for improvement/change and lead the design of business re-engineering to meet agreed outcomes.
• Excellent report writing skills, with the ability to present complex information succinctly, to effectively achieve the intended purpose of the report.
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to work effectively across team and organisational boundaries.
• Understanding of the Local Authority's duties in relation to Alternative Provision, Children Missing Education and school attendance.

Experience required includes:

• Relevant substantial experience within the associated environment.
• Leading and managing projects and teams involving partnership working across a variety of disciplines and professions.
• Experience of working restoratively to build positive relationships with parents/carers, schools and other stakeholders.

Leeds City Council offers a competitive salary and annual leave entitlement plus statutory holidays, membership of the West Yorkshire Pension Fund with generous employer contributions, flexible and hybrid working arrangements subject to service requirements, a clear career pathway and continuing professional development opportunities, and a range of staff benefits to help you boost your wellbeing and make your money go further.