Framework for Education - Alternative Education Provision (AP) in Herefordshire

Herefordshire Council has established an Open Framework of suitably qualified providers to deliver alternative education for those children and young people for whom it has a statutory responsibility, who are without a school place; or where a maintained school or academy has been unable to fully provide an appropriate individualised education package. Alternative provision may also be put in place for students who are at the point of permanent exclusion, have been permanently excluded from school or signed off from school on medical grounds.

The Alternative Education Provision Framework contains 3 Lots:

• Lot 1 - Education and engagement activities
• Lot 2 - Mentoring (face to face and/or online)
• Lot 3 - Tuition (face to face and/or online)

Providers have been appointed to one or more Lots depending upon the service(s) they are able to offer. Multiple providers have been appointed under each Lot.

In accordance with the PA 2023, the Council will re-open the Open Framework at least once before the third anniversary of the First Open Framework Commencement Date and at least once every five years thereafter. Further providers may be appointed to the Open Framework when it is re-opened in accordance with the Procurement Act 2023 and the Framework terms.

The maximum total value of this framework is £20,000,000 (ex VAT) across all 3 Lots.

The procurement was conducted in accordance with the open procedure under the Procurement Act 2023. It was carried out under the Light Touch Regime (LTR) permissible under PA 2023, Section 9, and therefore applied the flexibilities afforded under the above provisions.

Note regarding contract execution dates:

The Framework commenced on 1 July 2026. Due to the volume of individual Framework Agreements, these were formally executed between 2 July 2026 and 3 August 2026. The "Date signed" field shows 1 July 2026 due to system constraints within the publication platform and does not represent the actual execution dates.