Choice and diversity in governance in the English alternative provision sector: Implications for educational equity

Despite the continued global prevalence of discourses of educational inclusion, young people across local, national and international contexts continue to be educated outside of mainstream schools. In England, a diverse market of providers—known as alternative provision (AP)—cater for many of these young people. Unlike the mainstream school sector, where diversity of provision has been positioned as a key facilitator of parental choice and improved standards, there is limited evidence on how diversity and choice operate in the AP sector. This paper contributes to addressing this gap by analysing the range of organisations operating under the auspices of AP and their associated governance and regulatory mechanisms. Document analysis of the approved list of AP in a case study local authority demonstrates a diverse set of organisation types and associated governance arrangements, with a common focus on compliance and a lack of accessible publicly available information. We argue that as a result, the most disadvantaged children and families may be underserved in relation to diversity and choice policy imperatives. We conclude by highlighting potential consequences of poorly understood governance in AP for the achievement of equity goals—consequences which are of relevance across international educational contexts.