INTERNAL ONLY VACANCY. This post is open to existing Leeds City Council employees only. Applications will not be considered from external candidates.
Job title: Alternative Provision Lead
Salary: PO6 £51,356 - £54,495
Hours: 37 Full time
Contract: Permanent
Location: Hybrid working across the city, office days in Tech North.
As a manager in the Learning Access Service and as the Alternative Provision Lead you’ll thrive on
1. Turning insight into impact: using data and performance indicators to shape commissioning, quality assurance and sufficiency across AIPs, tuition and independent providers.
2. System leadership: convening partners across schools, health and wider services to deliver a coherent AP pathway that improves outcomes.
3. Purposeful collaboration: working restoratively with services to ensure compliance, reduce exclusions, and return children to suitable education quickly
You’ll 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 its 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.
Leeds City Council is one of the largest employers in the region with over 14,000 employees. We seek to recruit and develop talented individuals who embody our and ambitions.
About you
As an Alternative Provision Lead, you will bring to the role:
4. System leadership across alternative provision, attendance and exclusions—with experience programme‑managing strategy and partnership workstreams to improve outcomes
5. Quality assurance expertise, including oversight of service level agreements,
6. Data literacy and insight‑driven improvement—developing performance indicators, statutory returns to the DfE, and translating analysis into action.
7. Restorative, collaborative practice that secures compliance with statutory processes (including Section 19 duties) and safeguards children’s best interests.
About the role
This is a role where your leadership directly shapes a city‑wide alternative provision pathway where children and young people who are not currently in suitable education are swiftly supported back into learning. You’ll strengthen oversight and the partnerships that help children make sustained progress.
As our next Alternative Provision Lead, you’ll turn insight into impact: using data to target sufficiency, quality and value; convening multi‑agency partners (including health and education) to align interventions; and championing the voice of children, young people and families in service design.
The role is integral to our Learning Access Service management team—working alongside the EHE and Attendance Leads to coordinate best practice across EHE, exclusions, school attendance, CME and alternative provision, with safeguarding at the centre. Our service exists to identify children not in receipt of suitable education and return them to learning as quickly as possible, through citywide collaboration and evidence‑informed practice
What we offer you
We take pride in offering the best employee experience, with benefits including:
8. a competitive salary and annual leave entitlement plus statutory holidays
9. membership of the West Yorkshire Pension Fund with generous employer contributions
10. flexible and hybrid working arrangements subject to service requirements
11. a clear career pathway and continuing professional development opportunities
12. a range of staff benefits to help you boost your wellbeing and make your money go further
How to apply
Please complete the online application form.
Read our guidancefor further advice on completing your application.
A Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check against the Children’s or Adults’ barred list as applicable will be carried out on preferred candidates. Read our recruitment of ex-offenders policy.
We welcome applications from everyone and actively seek a diverse range of applicants from all backgrounds and cultures. We particularly encourage applications from, but not limited to, women, carers, veterans as well as LGBT+, ethnically diverse, disabled and care experienced people.
This role is based in the UK. Home Office guidance states that candidates must evidence their right to work in the UK prior to commencing employment, either as a UK or Irish citizen, under the EU Settlement scheme or having secured any other relevant work visa.
If you do not have the right to work in the UK, you must consider your own eligibility for sponsorship for a particular role through the Skilled Worker visaroute before applying. To be eligible for sponsorship you'll usually need to be paid the standard salary rate of at least £41,700 per year or meet one of the other eligibility criteria. Please ensure you are eligible before applying.
Job Description
Job Purpose:
Working in the Learning arm of the Children & Families directorate, the Alternative Provision Lead will operate within political and Local Authority governance processes, modelling values and behaviours to help us achieve our ambitions to be the best city council in the country and a child friendly city.
As part of the Learning Access Management Team, the Alternative Provision Lead works in partnership with the EHE and Attendance Leads to co-ordinate best practice across EHE, Exclusions, School Attendance, CME and alternative provision, working collaboratively with colleagues to deliver our collective responsibility to keep children safe.
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. The post holder will engage with partners and other stakeholders to gain agreement and commitment to delivering change, co-operation and resources to successfully deliver service improvement.
The postholder will support the active involvement of children, young people and families in how services are delivered, striving to meet the needs of children, families, colleagues and professional partners alongside ensuring the business needs of the directorate are met.
Responsibilities:
13. Facilitate and develop 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
14. Improve 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
15. Develop 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
16. To engage 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
17. Programme manage 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
18. Act 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
19. Act as the named LA officer for Alternative Provision, advising prospective providers and linking with existing providers and mainstream schools
20. Assist 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.
21. Work closely with other lead officers in the Learning Access service to deliver the best joined up service for children and young people
22. Ensure the regular completion of integrated case audits and reporting of progress for the Learning Access Service, developing a robust reporting framework for multiple audiences
23. To use skills and knowledge to effectively challenge and support other professionals and organisations to ensure children are able to achieve the best outcomes
24. To support and contribute to the Learning Access progress plan alongside the Attendance/CME and EHE Leads and provide direct line management as directed by the Head of Service for Learning Access, providing regular supervision and casework management
25. Deputise and represent the Head of Service Learning Access as and when required.
26. Support the induction of any new staff to the Learning Access Service as appropriate
27. Participate in appraisal, training and development activities as necessary to ensure up to date knowledge and skills
28. Improve own practice through observation, evaluation, discussion with colleagues and CPD programmes
29. Work collaboratively with colleagues, knowing when to seek help and advice
30. Contribute to the overall ethos, work, and aims of the service by attending relevant meetings, training days/events as requested.
31. Be aware of and comply 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
32. Be aware of and support difference and ensure equality for all working in an anti-discriminatory manner, upholding and promoting the values, standards and equal opportunities of Leeds City Council.
33. Recognise and appropriately challenge any incidents of racism, bullying, harassment or victimisation and any form of abuse of equal opportunities, ensuring compliance with relevant policies and procedures.
34. The duties outlined are not meant as an exhaustive list and will also comprise any other duties within the spirit of the post commensurate with the job evaluation outcome for this post.
35. The Council has adopted a flexibility protocol, and this role will be expected to work within these parameters.
Qualifications
Diploma/degree/professional qualification and relevant substantial experience in an education environment.
PERSONAL SPECIFICATION
ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS: It is essential that the Candidate should be able to demonstrate the following criteria for the post within the context of the specific role duties and responsibilities: Candidates will only be shortlisted for interview if they can demonstrate on the application form that they meet all the essential requirements
Method of Assessment will be through one or more of the following Application Form, Test, Interview, and Certificate
Skills Required
36. Strong leaderships skills in the context of managing change and leading projects.
37. Able to demonstrate impartiality and neutrality
38. Able to exercise discretion and confidentiality and have an empathetic approach to others at times of stress
39. 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.
40. Undertaking of options appraisals, with robust evaluation and clear rationale for recommendation.
41. Ability to develop cases for change which clearly articulate the need for change, what change is being sought and why, benefits and risk, required investment, targeted savings and resource management.
42. Excellent report writing skills, with the ability to present complex information succinctly, to effectively achieve the intended purpose of the report.
43. Strong presentation skills, both written and verbal, to a range of audience including to senior leaders, boards, and Elected Members.
44. Strong communication skills, with the ability to work effectively across team and organisational boundaries.
45. Highly effective inter-personal skills with the ability to lead, influence, establish and maintain positive working relationships across a range of stakeholders.
46. Strong analytical skills, including the ability to gather, interpret, present data from a range of sources, as well as produce recommendations aligned to achieving objectives.
47. Effective chairing of meetings, keeping to agenda and required outcomes.
48. Effective budget management, including developing cost plans to support effective project delivery, monitoring and reporting.
49. Able to use judgement to ensure vital information is shared with managers appropriately
50. Able to anticipate issues, plan solutions and make informed decisions by being creative, innovative and forward thinking
Knowledge Required
51. An overview and working knowledge of The Education Act, the Childrens Act; SEND Code of Practice; relevant DfE Guidance including Exclusions, Behaviour in schools and Alternative Provision; and Working Together to Safeguard Children.
52. An understanding of the Local Authority’s duties in relation to Alternative Provision, Children Missing Education and school attendance.
53. Good understanding of current challenges being faced by local government and the wider public sector.
54. Sound knowledge of the principles of social inclusion and an understanding of the needs of vulnerable children and their families.
55. Understanding of the graduated response and SEND statutory assessment processes
56. An understanding of the Children’s Services structure, area arrangements, locality clusters and area inclusion partnerships.
57. Understanding of IT systems including Microsoft 365 programmes
58. A clear understanding of the Child Friendly City concept and the importance of the voice and influence of children and young people.
Experience Required
59. Relevant substantial experience within the associated environment
60. Experience of working across a range of computerised / database systems to record and monitor information
61. Leading and managing projects and teams involving partnership working across a variety of disciplines and professions.
62. Experience of supporting teams and partners through change to ensure effective service delivery.
63. Experience of working restoratively to build positive relationships with parents/carers, schools and other stakeholders
64. Experience in identifying roles and resources needed to deliver projects.
65. Experience of working on projects that have delivered customer focused outcomes.
66. Using data effectively to inform developments in practice and strategy
Behavioural & other Characteristics required
67. Able to understand and abide by Council’s Equalities and Diversity Policy.
68. Carry out all duties having regard to an employee’s responsibility under Health & Safety Policies.
69. Willingness to actively participate in training and development activities to ensure up to date knowledge, skills, and continuous professional development.
70. Able to work flexibly across different work locations and areas as appropriate.
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