Southend on See Borough Council is seeking to engage with Education Providers to gain an understanding of the capacity and appetite in the market to deliver Alternative Provision within the borough.

This exercise is to inform the Council in its consideration of options for the future service model and provision of Alternative Education, in particular, the provision of the Interim Tuition Service, the Outreach for Inclusion Support Service and a Nurture and Assessment Centre.

The Council is not seeking to change the current provider for the provision of alternative education pathways for those permanently excluded or at risk of exclusion at Victory Park Academy but is seeking your views on the current pathways commissioned through the Local Authority.

The Council is looking to develop a commissioning approach to Alternative Provision and the prevention of exclusion in schools.

We are therefore looking for views from a wide range of stakeholders.

This is not a call for competition.

As such any future procurement process will be compliant with the Public Contract Regulations (2015 (updated 2016)).

This includes but is not limited to advertising and fair treatment of economic operators regardless of their involvement in this Market Engagement.