Alma Economics conducted research for the Department for Education (DfE) to gather information about how alternative provision (AP) in local areas is organised. AP refers to specialised educational arrangements designed for students unable to attend mainstream school.

Our analysis explored the factors that influence demand for AP, and what makes for an effective “local AP system”. Using survey and publicly available data, our team carried out statistical analysis to understand which variables appear to affect the operation of the AP market, e.g. places, pupils placed, costs, outcomes, and duration of placements.