Alternative Education Support
Education Other than at School (EOTAS)
Contributing to individual EOTAS packages
Education Otherwise Than At School, or EOTAS, is a legal arrangement made by a local authority where it is satisfied that delivery of the special educational provision in an Education, Health and Care Plan would be inappropriate in a school or post-16 institution.
EOTAS is not a type of setting and it is not the same as elective home education. It is an individually arranged package for which the local authority remains responsible.
ISW's role
ISW may be commissioned to manage and deliver defined elements of a package, including engagement, tuition, practical learning, community access, recognised achievement, physical activity and preparation for adulthood.
The roles of other providers, therapists, personal budgets and local-authority services are identified separately. ISW does not present another party's work as its own.
How we work
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Start with the EHCP outcomes, professional advice and commissioning specification
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Build a realistic plan around the young person's current capacity and profile
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Use consistent practitioners and predictable communication
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Record attendance, engagement, learning and progress
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Review what is working and recommend changes through the proper decision-making route
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Support transitions without artificial deadlines or unsupported claims
What ISW cannot decide
ISW cannot determine whether EOTAS is appropriate, amend an EHCP, approve a personal budget or replace the local authority's duty to secure provision. We can provide professional evidence to inform those decisions.
Referrals
EOTAS work is undertaken only through an agreed referral or commissioning arrangement with the responsible local authority service. Parents and carers may contact us to understand our approach, but enquiries do not constitute a referral or guarantee that ISW can be included in a package.