Alternative Educational Services Framework
Framework Description
North Tyneside Council's Alternative Educational Services Framework buys education for young people who cannot attend mainstream school. It is worth about £600,000 a year and was tendered on the OPEN portal under reference OPEN2025772 (Find a Tender 019584-2025). The initial term runs to 31 August 2028, with an option to extend to 31 August 2030, five years in total.
Context & Use Case
The council uses it to meet its duty to arrange suitable education for children educated other than at school (EOTAS), pupils permanently excluded from mainstream or special schools, and young people not in education, employment or training (NEET). Provision is matched to each young person's needs and often combines learning with pastoral support, mentoring and help to move on into education, training or work.
Scope of Services
Tailored education for EOTAS students Reintegration support for permanently excluded pupils NEET engagement and progression Literacy, numeracy and functional skills Personal development and pastoral support Careers guidance and employment preparation Mentoring and case management
Lots
See framework link
Who Can Apply
Suits alternative provision schools, training providers and specialist youth organisations with a record of re-engaging excluded, EOTAS and NEET young people, and strong safeguarding. Applications for this framework are closed, so providers not already appointed cannot join until it is re-tendered, likely around August 2028, or 2030 if extended.
Buyer Benefits
Every young person on this route has different barriers, so the council needs a choice of providers it can match to individual needs at short notice. A fixed panel on agreed terms gives it predictable costs, avoids a new procurement for each placement, and makes quality monitoring and safeguarding oversight easier to manage.
Next Steps
Appointed providers should keep outcome data, such as attendance, qualifications gained and progression into education or work, ready for contract reviews. Others should register on the OPEN portal to see North Tyneside's notices and build evidence for the re-tender before 31 August 2028, or 2030 if the extension is used.
How Athena Can Help
Alternative provision is judged on outcomes and safeguarding as much as price. For providers already on the framework, Athena's tender response writing turns attendance, progression and re-engagement data into clear evidence for contract reviews and any further competitions.
If you missed this round, our education framework planning gets you ready for North Tyneside's re-tender and similar council frameworks, and our education sector bidding support covers the bid/no-bid decision, social value and pricing for alternative provision contracts elsewhere.
