Guidance for Schools : Off-Site Direction

DfE guidance states that off-site direction is :

"when a governing board of a maintained school requires a pupil to attend another education setting to improve their behaviour. Whilst the legislation does not apply to academies, they can arrange off-site provision for such purposes under their general powers. Where interventions or targeted support have not been successful in improving a pupil's behaviour, off-site direction should be used to arrange time limited placements at an alternative provision or another mainstream school."

This guidance seeks to clarify what off-site direction is. Only a governing body can direct a pupil off-site, however, this will inevitably include consultation with the headteacher, parents and if applicable, a child's social worker and/or virtual school head. Off-site direction should always be a time-limited placement and may be considered as part of a range of options to support the child. It can be part-time or full-time, and schools may wish to use a range of providers. It should be noted that in Norfolk, the alternative provision that schools are able to commission is unregulated.

An off-site direction is an intervention that should be used to improve behaviour. It may therefore be appropriate:  

• Where all internal strategies and interventions have been exhausted and the pupil would benefit from a period of time at another mainstream school or another setting to improve their behaviour.  
• Where the pupil is at risk of exclusion.  

Where a child is open to other services, off-site direction should be discussed and agreed with external professionals, for example:  

• If a child has an EHCP, or is at 'yes to plan' the EHCP Co should be consulted 
• If a child is in care the Virtual School Children in Care should be consulted 
• If a child has a social worker the social worker should be consulted 

Headteachers and Governors should consider off-site direction when a pupil is at risk of permanent exclusion as per DfE guidance.  

Schools need to consider how an off-site direction will meet any additional needs a pupil may have, including SEND, as well as how behaviour will be improved. School should note that off-site direction should only be used to improve behaviour and not as a sanction or punishment.  

Off-site direction can be a full or part time into another mainstream setting, as well as using unregulated alternative provision for part of the week.  

As Alternative Provision (AP) in Norfolk is unregulated, pupils are not able to attend a single AP full-time. Schools are advised to use a single alternative provider for no more than two days (four sessions) per week.  

For further information about Off-Site Direction to an unregulated alternative provision, schools should refer to the Norfolk County Council Directory of Unregulated Alternative Provision. 

It should also be noted that in the past, online learning has often been used as part of an Off-Site Direction 'package', with pupils often accessing this in their home. Please be aware following changes to The School Attendance (Pupil Registration) (England) Regulations 2024 (legislation.gov.uk) within Working together to improve school attendance - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) from the academic year 2024/25 schools will no longer be able to B code online provision.  but where appropriate the authorised absence 'C' code can be used. In order for the B code to be used pupils must be physically supervised as set out by the DfE in their guidance regarding remote education - Providing remote education: guidance for schools. The use of online learning can still be considered where it is in the best interests of the pupil and supports them to access their education. 

Please consult with [email protected] if you are considering reducing sessions or entitlement for a pupil. 

For schools considering an Off-Site Direction to an SEMH Centre or Base, schools should refer to their SLA or speak to your linked Inclusion Adviser.   

The following guidance applies to an Off-Site Direction to another mainstream school. For guidance on what should happen during off-site directions to unregulated AP, SEMH Bases/Centres or online learning, please refer to the respective guidance mentioned previously and listed at the end of this document. 

Throughout the off-site direction the receiving school must welcome the pupil as a member of the school community, and as such they will usually be placed on a full-time timetable and wear the receiving school's uniform. Parental consent is not required in order for a school to direct a pupil off-site under this provision. However, it should be a collaborative process. Therefore, as far as is reasonably practicable, the views and agreement of parents should be sought.  

Before an off-site direction begins, a planning meeting should be organised by the home school. This meeting should be attended by the home school, the receiving school, the parents or carers, the pupil and where appropriate, other professionals who may be supporting the pupil and their family.  

The purpose of the planning meeting is as follows:  

• To consider the purpose of the off-site direction and the objectives that will be achieved.  
• To ensure that the pupil and parents/carers understand the off-site direction process. 
• To establish any additional support which may be required, for example: SEND adjustments, engagement with social care professionals, access to breakfast club arrangements, transition timetables etc.  
• To agree a proposed maximum period of time for the off-site direction.  
• To identify and agree dates for regular review meetings.  
• To ensure the pupil is receiving a broad and balanced curriculum entitlement. 

As part of the planning meeting all options for onward pathways should be discussed.

As per Keeping children safe in education (GOV.UK statutory guidance), it is essential that everybody working in a school understands their safeguarding responsibilities. Schools and their staff are an important part of the wider safeguarding system for children. This system is described in the statutory guidance Working together to safeguard children.

Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children is everyone's responsibility. Everyone who comes into contact with children and their families has a role to play. In order to fulfil this responsibility effectively, all practitioners should make sure their approach is child-centred.

It is the responsibility of every member of staff, volunteer and regular visitor to schools to ensure that they adhere to the school's Safeguarding Policy, procedures and Code of Conduct. This includes the responsibility to provide a safe environment in which students can learn. When an off-site direction is implemented, the relevant safeguarding information should be shared with the receiving school. This would include multi-agency plans, contact details for allocated workers and a plan made as to how safeguarding information will be recorded and shared with the home school DSLs.

The home school should seek written assurances that appropriate safer recruitment checks have been undertaken on staff at the receiving school as required in Part 3 of "Keeping Children Safe in Education" (link above).

The following guidance applies to an Off-Site Direction to another mainstream school. For guidance on what should happen during off-site directions to unregulated AP, SEMH Bases or Centres or online learning, please see the respective guidance listed at the end of this document. 

Off-site direction should be monitored via regular contact between schools, as well as with the pupil's family and wider professional network. The Local Authority advises at least weekly correspondence, and that it is best practice wherever possible to have fortnightly review meetings throughout the off-site direction, ideally with at least one being face-to-face, to review the success of the intervention. All contact should be recorded. 

The DfE advise that the governing body should invite parents or carers to review meetings no later than six days in advance. Insofar as possible, meetings should be arranged at a time that is convenient for parents or carers.  

The purpose of these review meetings is the following:  

• To discuss whether the off-site direction is achieving its objectives and whether it should continue 
• To share success 
• To gain the voice of the pupil and their family. 
• To allow the receiving school to address any concerns that the pupil and their family have and to identify any additional support they may need. 
• To discuss potential interventions for any behaviour or engagement concerns, and to ensure that the home school share known strategies for this purpose. 
• To allow the home school to plan for reintegration or, where appropriate, an alternative onwards pathway, for example placement at an SEMH Centre or Bases or a Managed Move 
• To set the date for any future meetings. 

DfE guidance makes it explicit that the length of time that a pupil attends an off-site direction will depend on the specific circumstances of the individual pupil and their behaviour. 

If it is decided by the governing body that it is in the pupil's best interests to continue the off-site direction, this needs to be communicated to the parent/carer no later than six days after the date of the review meeting at which this was decided.  

While a pupil is attending an off-site direction, the home school should use attendance code D for the pupil. The receiving school should code a pupil's attendance as normal. There should be daily correspondence between schools regarding attendance.  

Schools should note that, as per DfE guidance:

"Parents (or pupils aged 18 or over) and, where the pupil has an EHC plan, the local authority can request, in writing, that the governing body hold a review meeting. When this happens, governing bodies must comply with the request as soon as reasonably practicable, unless there has already been a review meeting in the previous 10 weeks." 

For dual registered pupils, appropriate, consistent and timely communication between the home school and the receiving school is essential to ensure that each child receives the support they need promptly, in a trauma-informed way, and are effectively safeguarded. Therefore named points of contact in each school are required. This will ensure that each child receives the support they need in a timely and efficient manner and prevent any information being lost.

For a pupil attending a period of off-site direction, the home school retains safeguarding responsibility for the pupil. Any concerns will be communicated to the named contact without delay.

When a period of off-site direction ends, an onward pathway should be agreed for a pupil at a final review meeting.  

Onward pathways could include, but are not limited to, reintegration to their home school, a managed move to the school that the child attended during their off-site direction or a placement at an SEMH SRB (where applicable) or regulated alternative provision.  

Please refer to the NCC Reintegration Guide for supporting materials  

If the pupil has behaved in a way that would normally warrant permanent exclusion, the Headteacher of the home school should consider the information gathered during the off-site direction and consult with their Inclusion Adviser who can raise them at their Local Planning Meeting, before taking further action. 

For further guidance around reintegration, see Supporting documents.  

More guidance for reintegration:

• Reintegration guide
• NCC AP Directory
• DfE suspensions and permanent exclusions guidance 
• DfE Alternative provision guidance 
• DfE Working together to improve school attendance guidance 
• Equality Act 2010

Additional support for reintegration back to the home school can be sourced through Local Planning Meetings. 

During an off-site direction, a school may want to discuss with their linked Inclusion Adviser all onward pathways for a pupil. The forum for this would be a Local Planning Meeting. An overview of Local Planning Meetings is outlined below. 

As part of the Local Authority, Local First Inclusion Project aimed at reducing school exclusions local schools are invited to attend Local Planning Meetings. The purpose of these meetings is to maintain pupil placements within their local school and local communities through collaborative decision making with local headteachers and other professionals.  

An Inclusion Adviser is linked to each grouping. They will facilitate regular Local Planning Meetings where students who are at risk of permanent exclusion will be discussed.  

The central aims of the Local Planning Meeting are to: 

• Reach agreement of what provision pupils can/should access in-school prior to any next step in their educational journey.   
• Develop a shared language and understanding between Norfolk schools to ensure pupils are supported to embark on a successful next step on their educational journey, where appropriate   
• Facilitate dynamic and effective partnership working that builds relationships and trust between local schools to showcase the inclusive practice already in place for all pupils.   
• Ensure that the right pupils access the right support/next step at the right time. 

When a pupil is raised by a school as being at risk of permanent exclusion, the linked Inclusion Adviser will arrange a meeting with that individual school to discuss support that can be offered. This will then be reviewed following an agreed period of time. 

If it is a suitable next step, your Inclusion Adviser will add the student to the agenda of the next Local Planning Meeting.  

The purpose of the Local Planning Meeting is to discuss the presenting needs of a student and collaboratively decide what is a suitable next step that is in the best interest of the pupil.  

Further information about Local Planning Meetings can be found in Appendix 1: Local planning meeting overview.  

An overview of how Off-Site Direction might fit into planned interventions for pupils at risk of exclusion can be found in Appendix 2: Diagram to show how Off-site Direction fits within wider support for pupils at risk of exclusion. 

Who

• Centre manager (where applicable)
• Inclusion Adviser
• A member of SLT with decision making powers from each school
• On a needs basis and in addition to the member of SLT - SENDCo, Head of Year, pastoral manager

What

A meeting of professionals to discuss the needs of individual student who are at imminent risk of permanent exclusion (PEX) or a demonstrating new and escalating behaviours.

Within the meeting, best practice will be shared as well as decisions made as to next steps for the student.

Where

Schools will be expected to host the meetings on a rotational basis.

The meetings will be in-person.

When

Meetings are held every four weeks.

Accessible version of diagram

1. Student presents with frequent low-level disruptive behaviour.
2. School utilises its own support processes, which may lead to the situation improving.
3. If the situation does not improve or deteriorates :
4.  School completes referral to LA named Inclusion Adviser; Support and advice provided, which may lead to the situation improving.
5.  If further action is needed, named Inclusion Adviser and home school collaboratively write a provision map with provision and impact. See Provision expected at SEN support (PEaSS).
6.  School holds a follow-up meeting with LA named Inclusion Adviser to review the impact of implemented strategies, which may lead to the situation improving.
7. If the situation does not improve or deteriorates :
8. It is agreed that threshold has been met and student is raised at a Local Partnership Planning meeting.
9. This can result in :
   1. Time limited directed off-site provision.
   2. Placement at an SEMH Base.
   3. Managed move.
   4. Placement at an SEMH Centre.
   5. Re-referral to named Inclusion - If the situation does not improve or deteriorates then it is referred back to stage 8.